Apple says its safety service Emergency SOS via satellite is now available to customers in the US and Canada. Available on all iPhone 14 models, the technology enables users to message with emergency services while outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.
Additionally, if users want to reassure friends and family of their whereabouts while traveling off the grid, they can now open the Find My app and share their location via satellite. Emergency SOS via satellite is available in the US and Canada starting today, November 15, and will come to France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK in December.
Every model in the iPhone 14 lineup — iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max — can connect directly to a satellite through a combination of custom-designed components and deeply integrated software. Emergency SOS via satellite builds on existing features for iPhone users, including Emergency SOS, Medical ID, emergency contacts, and Find My location sharing, offering the ability to connect to a satellite for a more 360-degree approach to sharing critical information with emergency services, family, and friends.
This service allows Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) — or emergency services call centers — to connect to even more users in emergency situations, and requires no additional software or protocols to enable communications. Users will be connected directly to emergency services that are equipped to receive text messages, or to relay centers with Apple-trained emergency specialists who are ready to contact PSAPs that cannot receive text messages on the user’s behalf.
How Emergency SOS via Satellite Works
According to Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, a iPhone can quickly and easily call emergency services if a user is in need of help, even if they are unable to dial 911. With Emergency SOS via satellite — introduced with the iPhone 14 lineup — if a user isn’t able to reach emergency services because no cellular or Wi-Fi coverage is available, an interface appears on iPhone to get the user help utilizing a satellite connection.
A short questionnaire appears to help the user answer vital questions with a few taps, which is transmitted to dispatchers in the initial message, to ensure they’re able to quickly understand a user’s situation and location. Joswiak says Apple worked closely with experts to review standard questions and protocols to identify the most common reasons for calling emergency services.
Following the questionnaire, the interface guides the user where to point their iPhone to connect and sends the initial message. This message includes the user’s questionnaire responses; location, including altitude; iPhone battery level; and Medical ID, if enabled.
The questionnaire and follow-up messages are relayed directly via satellite to dispatchers that accept text messages, or to relay centers staffed by Apple‑trained specialists who can call for help on the user’s behalf. The transcript can also be shared with the user’s emergency contacts to keep them informed.
Joswiak says Apple designed and built custom components and software that allow iPhone 14 to connect to a satellite’s unique frequencies without a bulky antenna. A text compression algorithm was also developed to reduce the average size of messages by 300%, making the experience as fast as possible.
With Emergency SOS via satellite, users can, according to Apple, send and receive messages in as little as 15 seconds in clear conditions. Using the built-in Emergency SOS via satellite demo, users can test satellite connectivity on their iPhone by connecting to a real satellite in range without calling emergency services, allowing them to experience the process and familiarize themselves with the service.
“Emergency SOS via satellite will not only be useful for those who live in rural areas without cellular coverage, but also for those who find themselves in the path of a natural disaster that takes down mobile networks. It will allow members in impacted communities to connect with 911 and get help, and that’s our mission,” says Laurene Anderson, NENA: The 9-1-1 Association’s president and Charlotte County, Florida’s E911 manager. “Awareness and training will be key to seamless adoption of this service. What Apple is doing to spread the word among dispatchers, and to let the community practice with a demo mode that does not contact 911, will help everyone know what to do when an emergency strikes.”
For users who go off the grid but don’t experience an emergency, this technology also enables them to share their location via satellite with Find My. In the Find My app, users can open the Me tab, swipe up to see My Location via Satellite, and tap Send My Location. The satellite connection on the iPhone 14 lineup also works with other safety features available on iPhone and Apple Watch, including Crash Detection and Fall Detection.
Emergency SOS via satellite and Find My via satellite require iOS 16.1.
