Apple Expands Emergency SOS via Satellite to Select European Countries

by Kay Lee

Apple has expanded its Emergency SOS via Satellite and Find My via satellite functionality to four European countries: France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK. In November, the feature was launched in the United States and Canada.

iPhone 14 users can now connect with emergency services in places where cellular and Wi-Fi coverage are unavailable. Calls from the Emergency SOS via Satellite feature, in turn, will be routed to local emergency services facilities.

If the user tries to dial an emergency service number and there is no cellular or Wi-Fi coverage so the call doesn't go through, Emergency SOS will prompt them to send an emergency text via satellite. A short questionnaire will appear on the screen of the iPhone with a few questions that will allow emergency services to understand the nature of the emergency in detail and help accordingly. After filling out the questionnaire, the app interface will tell the user where to point the iPhone to beam the message to a satellite.

Emergency SOS will send the answers to the questionnaire alongside medical ID (if configured), location, altitude, and iPhone battery level directly to emergency services.

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Users will also be able to share their location with friends and family via satellite using the Find My app while traveling in areas with no cellular or Wi-Fi coverage.

Emergency SOS via Satellite is available on all four latest-generation iPhone models running iOS 16.1: the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max. According to Apple, support for more countries will follow next year, and satellite connectivity will be free to use for two years.