Apple Confirms Emergency SOS via Satellite Launching on iPhone Later This Month

[tarkeybear]

I thought about getting a Garmin Inreach, but I’ll wait for now to see if the service expands to Europe. I plan on getting the 15 PM to replace my 13 Pro next year!

I have a Garmin inreach, it requires a subscription (~$15/mo) and allows unlimited texts of three simple messages to a distribution list like "I'm resting", I'm moving", "I need help" at no cost, but for free-form, more descriptive messages, I believe you get 5 or 10 messages/month and get charged for additional over the monthly allotment.
For the Apple satellite, I suspect it is only used during emergencies since if I understand correctly, the iPhone user will communicate through a satellite to an emergency call center. So if I wanted to message my wife that "I am taking a break on my bike ride in the mountains and all is good", I don't know if the Satellite emergency response team would relay that to my wife or curtly tell me that this line is only for emergencies?

 

[7149041]

I thought that phones, satellites radios (SiriusXM etc) and GPS gadgets are capable of receiving data from satellites but are unable to send anything back because they would need a huge dish and lots of power to send. Similar to how an adult can throw a ball from far away to a small child, but the child doesn’t have the strength to throw it all the way back to the adult. How does this work?

Probably the same as recently announced T-Mobile + Starlink GSM coverage of the entire US. That one is even more impressive, as it does NOT require a new phone.

 

[slomtbr]

99.9% will never use or need this

I'd hope the percentage is even higher.

 

[Graham Caracas]

Can I use this when the pizza guy is late?

 

[farkleboy]

99.9% will never use or need this

Agreed. This seems like such a niche feature, and there are already working solutions out there already. Why spend all this money to tap into such a small client base? especially since if you are out of reach of celluar and wifi, and are in an emergency, that probably means there is no electricity, which means your phone will likely be dead before you realize that you would need to send an emergency message. I mean, if it saves one life, Its great, but from a business perspective this is probably one of the investments for apple. Just think if they could have used the capitol to push forward with solar charging screens? Damn near every user would get a benefit from that, and would extend the already paltry battery life that we've been forced to accept.

 

[compwiz1202]

You one time emergency message is ready to send…however it will sent faster and to better rescue services if you suscribe to Apple One.

Do you want to subscribe now?

And BTW check out these paper maps, bear spray and all in one hiking bundles.

 

[compwiz1202]

Can I use this when the pizza guy is late?

I was actually thinking of the poor things people would use this for. I can't find my car in the parking lot

 

[bmustaf]

Probably the same as recently announced T-Mobile + Starlink GSM coverage of the entire US. That one is even more impressive, as it does NOT require a new phone.

It is also much, much further from reality both technologically and from a regulatory perspective. That was a bit of preemptive PR on the part of T-Mo/SL knowing this actually extant product would be here in 60-90 days while they're easily a year out. But, yes, it exists technologically and in labs and field tests, it is not theoretical in that regard, but it is theoretical as a consumer product.

I also hear that the new 6G standards blow 5G out of the water.

Good luck getting either anytime soon.

 

[JustAnExpat]

Ban everyone who misuses this feature from using an iPhone

I think this feature only works if you are outside the range of any cell phone tower. I also believe most states charge for a search-and-rescue team as well.

 

[PghMike4]

So, I was hiking yesterday outside of cell service, and my phone was telling me that it had "SOS" service. And it is an iPhone 13.

Does the iPhone 13 support some variant of SOS service as well?

 

[techfreak23]

It'll be too bad if they decide to charge for this ultimately. This feels like the kind of thing that should just be factored into the cost of the device and its expected lifetime.

Unless you're the type of person who is regularly venturing out into remote areas, I doubt most people will want to pay for something that is very easily perceived as "never gonna need that". While it's a new flashy feature, people might, but it's going to be free for 2 years, by which time it'll be "old news". And if in those 2 years you never needed it, the odds that you'll decide to pay for it are even lower.

Except you never know when you might suddenly need it. You might spend 99% of the time in the big city, but once a year or even less often you head out on a road trip, passing through some areas with no coverage. You might not even think of it at the time. And suddenly you have a breakdown and that's when you really need the service... and you didn't think to subscribe to it since it didn't even cross your mind. Are you now doomed?

There could be some VERY bad PR from that. "Man dies in ditch, couldn't send for help despite having new iPhone 17 because he didn't pay for sat emergency service before leaving home."

I would assume they will have a pay as you go option where you will always have the ability to use it, they will just bill you for the usage after the fact if you’re not subscribed. It wouldn’t make sense for them to block the feature altogether if you’re not a paying subscriber or whatever that model will be. It’ll sell the feature better the more positive outcome stories of people being saved by it.

 

[7149041]

Good luck getting either anytime soon.

For me personally it's all theoretical anyway - I have 4G in Bogota, and they are still marketing it here as the new hot thing 🤣

 

[now i see it]

99.9% will never use or need this

Perhaps — but the 0.1% of 1 billion users is still 1 million. That’s a lot of saved lives

 

[BobSc]

So, I was hiking yesterday outside of cell service, and my phone was telling me that it had "SOS" service. And it is an iPhone 13.

Does the iPhone 13 support some variant of SOS service as well?

Search for "iphone sos mode when no cellular service" on Google.

 

[IIGS User]

99.9% will never use or need this

I've worn body armor at work for the past 24 years and never needed it once.

When my current kit expired I wasn't permitted to work with the public until my new one came in. I wasn't even allowed to do my scheduled refresher training. It was only 2 weeks out of date (it was a supplier issue).

I've lugged a gun around for the same period of time and only used it twice. Once to put down a deer someone hit with a car, and another time to dispatch a clearly rabid raccoon.

I hope it stays that way, too. I've got 6 months of this nonsense left and I can go.

 

[Toratek]

Apple could make the service available on a per-use basis. I'd certainly pay a $25 "fine" to use it in an emergency. Or $100.

Certainly a reasonable point of view, considering that in some circumstances, an actual rescue could cost north of $6000 [typical air ambulance ride] to over $20,000 (full SAR crew and extraction). In some places, the rescued party won’t be stuck with the majority of the bill, but in others…

So, a hundred dollar charge for an emergency message might well be a drop in the bucket compared to the resulting rescue effort. Of course bills don’t matter much if one is dead.

 

[testcard]

Almost worth travelling to America, getting lost somewhere (New York?) and trying out the feature.

 

[Emp12]

Agreed. This seems like such a niche feature, and there are already working solutions out there already. Why spend all this money to tap into such a small client base? especially since if you are out of reach of celluar and wifi, and are in an emergency, that probably means there is no electricity, which means your phone will likely be dead before you realize that you would need to send an emergency message.

You can hike and bike way outside of cell range on a normal charge. Not to mention drive or carry a power bank.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Forgot to pay SOS subscription? Sorry, you’re dead 🤣🤣🤣

I think that’s true for any safety process/device. Didn’t prepare and bring water on your trip into the desert? Sorry, you’re dead. Didn’t pay for your Garmin subscription prior to taking that trip to the middle of nowhere and get stuck and need help? You’re dead.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Why doesn't Apple build its own satellite network? Isn't it annoying for Apple that they do not own any money from phone and data plans?

The EU would force them to let ALL developers use it.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

I would assume they will have a pay as you go option where you will always have the ability to use it, they will just bill you for the usage after the fact if you’re not subscribed. It wouldn’t make sense for them to block the feature altogether if you’re not a paying subscriber or whatever that model will be. It’ll sell the feature better the more positive outcome stories of people being saved by it.

I think others have posted that the Garmin and other services of this type are “on” if you pay for them and “off” if you don’t. I can understand how trying to get a connection to pay for a service in the middle of nowhere would be difficult if not impossible.

 

[cocky jeremy]

99.9% will never use or need this

That's the hope. lol.

 

[cocky jeremy]

The EU would force them to let ALL developers use it.

.. and for free. I can't say who they remind me of. It gets me banned.. but think of German groups from WW2 timeframe.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

I thought that phones, satellites radios (SiriusXM etc) and GPS gadgets are capable of receiving data from satellites but are unable to send anything back because they would need a huge dish and lots of power to send. Similar to how an adult can throw a ball from far away to a small child, but the child doesn’t have the strength to throw it all the way back to the adult. How does this work?

Satellite phones already exist that send data two ways. This is just a far lower power lower data version of the same.

 

[BobSc]

Agreed. This seems like such a niche feature, and there are already working solutions out there already. Why spend all this money to tap into such a small client base? especially since if you are out of reach of celluar and wifi, and are in an emergency, that probably means there is no electricity, which means your phone will likely be dead before you realize that you would need to send an emergency message. I mean, if it saves one life, Its great, but from a business perspective this is probably one of the investments for apple. Just think if they could have used the capitol to push forward with solar charging screens? Damn near every user would get a benefit from that, and would extend the already paltry battery life that we've been forced to accept.

"there are already working solutions out there already." Can you tell us what those working solutions are? Thanks.

"that probably means there is no electricity, which means your phone will likely be dead before you realize that you would need to send an emergency message." This is so incredibly far-fetched and unlikely as to defy credibility.

"push forward with solar charging screens". Is this even scientifically possible: display and solar charging? I doubt it. If you go into the wilderness without a full charge and don't carry a external power source, you are just asking for trouble.