After the release of iPhone September 14, 2022, Apple users came across different new features. One of these features that come with the new iPhone and iOS is to use emergency SOS via satellite .
What is iPhone SOS for?
Apple commented that SOS is only useful for exceptional situations where we have no way to communicate with emergency services. For example, if we are in a complicated situation or we are lost and we do not have mobile data or Wi-Fi, our iPhone 14 can send an SOS message via satellite requesting help..
Is it really reliable?
Taking into account that the connection is made via satellite, we have to take into consideration that the connection is limited and slow. So we should only use this connection to send important information such as location, condition and what kind of help we need.
We can use iPhone SOS on iOS, but only on devices in the 14 family (14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max). At the moment the service works for free for two years, although it is possible that Apple will end up setting a price for its use..
How does it work?
Emergency SOS via satellite is enabled only when we do not have coverage, mobile network or Wi-Fi. We can communicate with emergency services or one of our contacts in the same way as we would if we had network coverage. The company says it should be in an area with clear skies, because mountains or foliage can block satellite connectivity.
Messages may take up to 15 seconds to be sent. It may not seem like much, but the company went to great lengths to include satellite connectivity in the latest iPhones..
One of the very positive things is that the iPhone SOS feature works if the phone is locked. Then it becomes an extremely practical way to get out of complicated situations.
How to use the SOS function?
In case we are in a difficult situation where we have to use the SOS function via satellite, the first thing we will have to do is a little preliminary work. We can open the health application and press summary. Then we press the profile photo and go to Medical identification and then edit.
We will fill out our medical details, allergies, medications and all relevant information. It is important to do this as soon as possible because this information can be sent via emergency SOS when the time comes.
Another thing we can do is designate emergency contacts. These will have priority when the satellite connection is carried out. Something else we should consider is that we are going to have to share our location with these contacts through the Find my phone app.
Once everything above was clear. To use the SOS emergency service we will have to make a call to 911. If we do not have a network, we will see an emergency text option screen via satellite.
After pressing this, we will see “report emergency” on the screen. We press this option and we will be asked a series of questions about the current situation, location and what kind of assistance we need. We can also include other people and if there have been injuries. It is even possible to choose what kind of personal information is sent.
After doing all this, we are going to see on-screen instructions on how to get a lock on a passing satellite and how we can maintain the lock. It is even possible to request that the position be changed if this is not possible. Once blocked, we may be asked for additional information via text message and we will get answers about the next course of action.