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The thing they aren't telling you is that the bill you can get (not always, but often) for a rescue can be considerable. In my region, this can be a minimum of $6000 (short helicopter air ambulance ride) to well over $20K (SAR team extraction).
One has nothing to do with the other. If you'd rather die than pay for a rescue, then don't use the feature and die. Simple.
 
This is the same piece they shared during the keynote, yes?
Nope, it’s a re-edit. The original video is here:


In the original version, the user indicated they were “Lost or Trapped”. Nothing implied imminent threat to life, unless you assume the cowering baby in the video was dying. Thunderstorms will ground a SAR helicopter, so at best a ground team might be immediately dispatched ONLY if someone is dying. If there’s no imminent danger to life or limb lost hikers will be spending the night out there and waiting for a ground SAR team to be dispatched the following morning. If they’re physically able to walk out, they will be expected to.

The new edit had to be changed to make you assume he was in peril, but even if he was a night helicopter rescue would not occur. They also kept a scene near the end that shows both hikers walking toward the helicopter. So I’m calling BS on Apple’s misleading emotional marketing garbage.
 
The thing they aren't telling you is that the bill you can get (not always, but often) for a rescue can be considerable. In my region, this can be a minimum of $6000 (short helicopter air ambulance ride) to well over $20K (SAR team extraction).
Which is another benefit of using a dedicated device from Garmin or Globalstart is that they offer insurance to pay for those costs. Hopefully Globalstar will offer this as an add-on for iPhone users.
 
The article should start with this! Save Apple and First responders some headaches.

There is also a demo mode in the Settings app under Emergency SOS that allows users to test out the satellite connectivity without contacting emergency responders.
 
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That's a really well done commercial! Great music choice too. But yeah... I wouldn't want to be stuck paying the emergency helicopter fee 😳
Not sure what your point is. No one is forcing you to call for help. If you're concerned about the subsequent bill, then don't use the service. It's up to you to determine how much you value your well being or life. It's your choice.
 
I think it is a great idea but once the free period is over I likely will not pay to continue it. The main reason is I am never out of a area that has cell coverage but that is being the fact I am older and retired
 
I live in a remote part of the country in the middle of Wyoming. All of our EMS service is by helicopter and we have long stretches of travel with no service. This service is really awesome and has everyone in town talking. It really changes the game for those of us that could encounter a situation. Granted most people in the country will never be without service, but for us here its important 🤠
 
The last thing we need is this kind of ubiquitous technology enabling more people to go places they shouldn't go in conditions they shouldn't be in. Certainly lives will be saved, but those lives should not have been put at risk in the first place.
 
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There are two Medivac helicopters beside the only regional hospital in the Northeast Arizona town of Show Low. We call the ride to Phoenix the $50,000 taxi cab. The patient is in the appropriate Phoenix ER for the injury in about 30 minutes vs 4 to 5 hours by ambulance.
 
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I think it is a great idea but once the free period is over I likely will not pay to continue it. The main reason is I am never out of a area that has cell coverage but that is being the fact I am older and retired
Pretty much same as retired geologist. I still go on rare annual trips to Tucson Rock and Fossil show, and collect on rare occasions out in desert of Utah,California and Nevada (with friends so never alone). So likelihood of using this is rare
 
The last thing we need is this kind of ubiquitous technology enabling more people to go places they shouldn't go in conditions they shouldn't be in. Certainly lives will be saved, but those lives should not have been put at risk in the first place.
Agree. Don't think it will be a good thing, and probably will cause more harm than good.
Provides a "free" sense of false security for 2 years, then what?
What happens when someone declines paying for the service after 2 years, then finds themselves in a dire situation?
Then dies because their iPhone wouldn't save them for free?

My main problem with this “service” is how Apple is marketing it. It’s not a free helicopter ride service.

If you travel to remote wilderness locations where helicopter rescue would likely be necessary in an emergency, you will need a dedicated device and service.

But there is a HUGE variation in “remoteness” of wilderness areas, and also in people’s perception of “remoteness” in general. So it can be difficult for someone to understand what they actually need.
 
Bunch of inexperienced idiots out in the middle of nowhere with no supplies and a tiny day pack, and the guy twists his ankle. Morons lol.
Funny how the new video edit implies that, but the cry baby is "physically" fine (just afraid of the dark??). See my above comments.
 
The last thing we need is this kind of ubiquitous technology enabling more people to go places they shouldn't go in conditions they shouldn't be in. Certainly lives will be saved, but those lives should not have been put at risk in the first place.
This way of thinking is incredibly absurd. 'nuff said.
 
Agree. Don't think it will be a good thing, and probably will cause more harm than good.
Provides a "free" sense of false security for 2 years, then what?
What happens when someone declines paying for the service after 2 years, then finds themselves in a dire situation?
Then dies because their iPhone wouldn't save them for free?

Hiker: Dying and sends SOS

iPhone: Subscribe to SOS for only $9.99 / month

Hiker: Taps to activate subscription

iPhone: I'm sorry, you must be connected to WiFi to activate

Hiker: Dies
 
This way of thinking is incredibly absurd. 'nuff said.
Ultimately, the effectiveness of an iPhone satellite SOS system will be demonstrated by incident data. But such data will not be reliable for several years.

Dedicated Satellite PLB / messengers have been around for decades so incident data is available.

The danger is believing the iPhone SOS system will be effective as dedicated devices. In my experience (which includes actually saving a few people), it won’t.
 
Why is she not using the flashlight feature on her phone to create a signal so the spotter can see her in the dark?
Probably using the same logic that got her SOL stranded in the first place.

At least this guarantees job security for the S&R folks! 😝
 
Take my word, we gonna see people searching for satellite around and someone will be sending that "Live in Facebook".

It's a good feature, until someone find a way to find spy satellites with help of iPhone and US authorities ban it.
 
Pro tip: if you get a $50k helicopter bill just file for chapter 11 bankruptcy and you won’t have to pay it.
 
The thing they aren't telling you is that the bill you can get (not always, but often) for a rescue can be considerable. In my region, this can be a minimum of $6000 (short helicopter air ambulance ride) to well over $20K (SAR team extraction).
You mean, if a person fall and get stuck between rocks or get lost in the wilderness, he/she has to pay for the rescue cost?
 
The thing they aren't telling you is that the bill you can get (not always, but often) for a rescue can be considerable. In my region, this can be a minimum of $6000 (short helicopter air ambulance ride) to well over $20K (SAR team extraction).
Ugh. I hate it when I’m bleeding out, starving, and hypothermic, and keeping a pack of hungry wolves at bay on a remote mountain top I chose to hike on, knowing the risks, and then I call for help and a bunch of dudes risk their lives to come rescue me and then they’re all like, “hey, mind pitching in toward our salaries and this $40 million helicopter?”
 
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