Apple Announces iPhone 14's Satellite Feature Launching in Six More Countries Later This Month

[MacRumors]

Alongside the new iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus in Yellow, Apple today announced that the Emergency SOS via Satellite feature will be available in Austria, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Portugal later this month.

The feature allows iPhone 14 models to connect to a Globalstar satellite, enabling users to send text messages to emergency services when outside the range of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. Apple warns that foliage or other obstructions can result in messages taking longer to send or failing to send, and satellite connectivity might not work in places above 62° latitude. The service is free for two years after activating an iPhone 14.

Emergency SOS via Satellite first launched in November in the U.S. and Canada and requires an iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, or iPhone 14 Pro Max. The service became available in France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK in December.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1633098585578381315

Article Link: Apple Announces iPhone 14's Satellite Feature Launching in Six More Countries Later This Month

 

[Sciomar]

Great feature to have, glad other countries are getting in on it.

 

[CarAnalogy]

This is good but serious question, is Luxembourg even large enough with enough remote areas that one could actually get lost with no cell signal?

 

[Crowbot]

My guess is that each country must work with Apple to hook up to a local emergency response system. I'd love to see Apple make the messaging part of the system available now and then have the EMS parts come in later. If I'm stuck I can message a friend to call EMS.

 

[MLVC]

This is good but serious question, is Luxembourg even large enough with enough remote areas that one could actually get lost with no cell signal?

How small do you think Luxembourg is? And how densely populated do you think it is?

 

[surfzen21]

I wonder how much they will charge for this in the future.

I'm going to take a guess and say with each new version of a phone they will automatically bundle it for free for two years. I bet it will also become part of the Apple One services package for no additional price.

I think the only time this will be a single paid service is if you don't upgrade every two years and don't pay for a services bundle.

 

[Robin Bonathan]

How small do you think Luxembourg is? And how densely populated do you think it is?

 

[iLoveDeveloping]

May seem like a stupid question but apple hasn’t really mentioned it. If I come from Ireland (which has satellite sos available) and travel to Spain in summer. Does the service not work? Surely my phone connects to the satellites still, is it that there is no Emergency services to connect it to on the ground or would it go through? Seriously question..

 

[Robin Bonathan]

At this time

May seem like a stupid question but apple hasn’t really mentioned it. If I come from Ireland (which has satellite sos available) and travel to Spain in summer. Does the service not work? Surely my phone connects to the satellites still, is it that there is no Emergency services to connect it to on the ground or would it go through? Seriously question..

at this time I dont think spain has satellite coverage. 112 emergency number works most place as coverage is fairly good, except the remote areas.

 

[alexandr]

Wow, this worldwide rollout is much better than for the Apple Card

 

[Kottu]

I hope that Apple will add Sweden this year. In the north Sweden, my operator don't have good coverage. And that area is famous for trekking. It's good to be disconnected sometimes but it feels safer when you know that calling for help isn't a problem.

 

[iLoveDeveloping]

At this time

at this time I dont think spain has satellite coverage. 112 emergency number works most place as coverage is fairly good, except the remote areas.

That’s my point exactly. Spain doesn’t have it. So what happens then..

 

[gco212]

That’s my point exactly. Spain doesn’t have it. So what happens then..

Probably the same thing that has happened on all previous iPhones. People have survived before.

 

[iOZZY]

Useful feature to have whilst out about in the Cotswolds /s

 

[MiniMoke]

This is good but serious question, is Luxembourg even large enough with enough remote areas that one could actually get lost with no cell signal?

Definitely NO!

Cell coverage EVERYWHERE!

 

[Anaxarxes]

This is good but serious question, is Luxembourg even large enough with enough remote areas that one could actually get lost with no cell signal?

It's about compliance and ease of implementation, not about terrain. Apple simply planning the expansion on ease of implementation.

 

[ummario]

I'm impressed! We will have this in Portugal? Now we only miss Siri in native Portuguese!

 

[gusmula]

Portugal 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

 

[CarAnalogy]

How small do you think Luxembourg is? And how densely populated do you think it is?

Small and very? I guess I should look it up.

 

[MLVC]

Small and very? I guess I should look it up.

The northern part of Luxembourg is in the Ardennes and is not very populated.

 

[sos47]

thank you apple for germany because most of the country hasn’t 4g or 5g.
(no sarcasm)

 

[MaxSto]

Austria and Italy!

Finally the Alps.

 

[kemal54]

I love how Apple releases a new feature starting with the US and slowly expanding to the rest of the world in the next 20 years or so.

 

[Crowbot]

I love how Apple releases a new feature starting with the US and slowly expanding to the rest of the world in the next 20 years or so.

Setting up a system like this is not easy. It involves coordination with numerous countries emergency response systems. They will, of course, start with the US because they're an American company.

 

[iMacDragon]

I hope that Apple will add Sweden this year. In the north Sweden, my operator don't have good coverage. And that area is famous for trekking. It's good to be disconnected sometimes but it feels safer when you know that calling for help isn't a problem.

They note that reliability above 62 degrees latitude is not gauranteed, so it may not be useful in northern sweden anyway.