Via a press release during these days, Apple decided to launch the announcement about the satellite emergency SOS feature of the iPhone 14. The company is clear that the function will soon be available to other countries within the next year. Although, Apple has not ruled on the list of countries that will have the function available.
Satellite emergency SOS reaches more countries
The SOS emergency function via satellite first arrived on devices during the month of November in the United States and Canada. Although only available for iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max and also that integrate iOS 16.1 or higher. During this week Countries like France, Germany, Ireland and the United Kingdom already have the function on devices that integrate iOS 16.2, being a requirement for it to match correctly with some local emergency services contacts.
Remember that this service is currently free for the first two years after the activation of your new iPhone 14 in any of the aforementioned presentations.
Also mention that according to Apple support in a document on the use of the emergency SOS function via satellite indicates that
- USA and Canada allows you to send or make calls to 911.
- Now your device can also do it in France via 112, 112, 15, 17, 18, 114, 119, 191 and 196.
- For the service in Germany it will be carried out through 112 and 110.
- In Ireland and the United Kingdom, calls and SMS will be by 999 or 112.
They also point out that all users who want the service must have iOS 16.2 to work correctly with emergency services when calling or sending SMS to 15, 17, 18, 114, 119, 191 and 196 in France, while it will be 110. in Germany and 999 in Ireland. The emergency numbers will have mixed availability according to the operator of your mobile phone service.
The rescue feature of iOS 16.1
The emergency SOS function of the iPhone 14 is thanks to the Globalstar satellite. Due to the characteristic, users will be able to send SMS or call emergency contacts even if they do not have cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. Given this, Apple declares that an SMS could take only 15 seconds to send, speaking of “ideal conditions with a direct view of the sky and the horizon.” Although there may be some other obstruction that can make it take longer than it should. There would also be some other connectivity failure such as the height and latitude of some areas such as Alaska and Canada.
In case you are interested and need to know more about it, you can also get more information about it at Apple’s support document for the Emergency SOS feature and its details.