How to use Emergency SOS via satellite on iPhone 14 - Computerworld

Apple’s spending tons of wealth to guarantee you ne'er get mislaid and tin ever stock wherever you are with a instrumentality called Emergency SOS via satellite, disposable in iOS 16.1 and iPhone 14 oregon later.

What is Emergency SOS via outer connected iPhone 14?

Available lone successful the US and Canada astatine the moment, it volition get for users successful France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK starting adjacent month. The diagnostic lets iPhone 14 users link with exigency services erstwhile cellular and Wi-Fi sum aren’t available.

It besides supports FindMy determination tracking erstwhile disconnected the grid. Users tin stock their determination with others utilizing the FindMy app.

Emergency SOS via outer relies connected a increasing constellation of satellites that beryllium to Globalstar. We cognize that Apple has made big investments with the outer firm to powerfulness up this feature, almost fractional a cardinal dollars to date.

How Emergency SOS via outer works

The work uses spectrum successful the L and S bands specially designated for mobile outer services by ITU Radio Regulations. It besides uses custom-designed components wrong the hardware.

When an iPhone idiosyncratic makes an Emergency SOS via outer request, the connection is received by 1 of Globalstar's 24 satellites successful low-earth orbit traveling astatine speeds of astir 16,000 mph.

The outer sends the connection to crushed stations located astatine cardinal points each implicit the satellite and it is past routed to exigency services who tin nonstop help, oregon to a relay halfway with Apple-trained exigency specialists (if the closest exigency services determination is not capable to person substance messages).

“The motorboat of Emergency SOS via outer nonstop to iPhone is simply a generational advancement successful outer communications, and we are arrogant that Globalstar's satellites and spectrum assets volition play a cardinal relation successful redeeming lives," said Jay Monroe, Globalstar's enforcement chairman. 

How to usage Emergency SOS via satellite

When you are incapable to get cellular oregon Wi-Fi web access, the enactment to usage Emergency Text via outer volition look erstwhile you effort to interaction exigency services. The strategy works via a elemental interface that runs  you done a abbreviated questionnaire to get accusation astir you and your emergency. This accusation is past shared via pre-built messages to despatchers who usage it to get help. Apple says it worked with experts to place the astir communal crises radical petition assistance for.

• The connection instauration process begins with a surface listing the pursuing exigency situations: Car oregon conveyance issue, sickness oregon injury, crime, lost/trapped, fire.
• Subsequent questions volition inquire if the exigency affects you, idiosyncratic else, oregon aggregate radical — and whether anyone is injured.
• You’ll besides beryllium asked to picture the exigency — you mightiness beryllium stranded, trapped, mislaid ordealing with thing other — and what benignant of terrain you're in, specified arsenic being trapped wrong a cave (though if you are successful a cave, it astir apt won't wor)k.
• Apple warns that if you're nether dense foliage oregon surrounded by obstructions the diagnostic whitethorn not work.

The connection created volition include:

• Your answers to the questions;
• Location, including altitude;
• Battery level;
• Medical ID.

Once you’ve answered the questions, the iPhone volition link and nonstop the assistance request. At this point, a graphic volition look connected your instrumentality to assistance you link to the satellite. It volition effort to amusement you which absorption to constituent your telephone and assistance you find a amended presumption from which to summation the connection.

The strategy volition besides grip immoderate travel up questions.

Apple says transmitting messages via outer tin instrumentality arsenic small arsenic 15 seconds, but successful practice, it volition beryllium longer, and fixed you are apt successful a crisis, you astir apt volition person different concerns astatine that clip than whether the connection uploads swiftly.

The connection transcript tin besides beryllium shared with your emergency contacts.

What if you're injured?

Apple says the exigency strategy volition besides enactment with different information features connected the iPhone, specified arsenic Crash Detection and Fall Detection.

How tin I trial the feature?

Good news. If you already usage an iPhone 14 and hap to beryllium successful the US oregon Canada, you tin trial Emergency SOS via outer without alerting exigency services; Apple has built a demo of the strategy into the iPhone. This volition link to a existent outer to amusement you however the process works, though nary connection volition beryllium shared.

What’s the outgo of the service?

Apple says Emergency SOS via Satellite volition beryllium disposable escaped for 2 years starting erstwhile you activate a caller iPhone 14 bid device. This implies the solution volition go a fee-based work astatine immoderate point, though I ideate with further features.

Emergency SOS via outer isn't offered connected iPhone models purchased successful China mainland, Hong Kong, oregon Macao. It isn't disposable successful Guam oregon American Samoa and whitethorn not enactment successful places supra 62° latitude, specified arsenic bluish parts of Canada and Alaska.

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Jonny is simply a freelance writer who has been penning (mainly astir Apple and technology) since 1999.