Apple Demonstrates Emergency SOS via Satellite in Ad as Feature Launches

[Ronald C Schoedel III]

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

And if you ever do decide to go remote, I suspect you could re-subscribe!

 

[CapitalIdea]

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).

So? Would you rather lay there and die then? Get decent insurance if you're going to the mountains.

 

[CapitalIdea]

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 🤠

I've been through your patch many times on business via car. Dusk or later, zero cell signal, almost no radio stations for hours. Sometimes just rural roads with little to no lighting. I would be lying if I said I didn't imagine crashing somewhere there and being helpless or not found for days. In fact, the big takeaway from my first trip through was to download emergency maps on Google Maps and also locally store some very long playlists and podcasts to get me through it, since any streaming wasn't going to happen. I totally see why people are excited.

 

[MyOwnDrummer]

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)

Imagine being the kind of person that faults a company offering a potentially life saving service because they didn’t tell you that the rescue would cost money.

Tell you what, if you ever need it, you are free to choose to not call for life saving help. Because, money.

 

[MyOwnDrummer]

I've been through your patch many times on business via car. Dusk or later, zero cell signal, almost no radio stations for hours. Sometimes just rural roads with little to no lighting. I would be lying if I said I didn't imagine crashing somewhere there and being helpless or not found for days. In fact, the big takeaway from my first trip through was to download emergency maps on Google Maps and also locally store some very long playlists and podcasts to get me through it, since any streaming wasn't going to happen. I totally see why people are excited.

I’ve driven a lot of lonely roads in the great West. This is a very reassuring thing to have.

 

[MyOwnDrummer]

Even if the other option is DEATH?..

Long as these people don’t get to make decisions for me and my loved ones, I am OK with them having this kind of deeply flawed thinking.

 

[Ronald C Schoedel III]

I've been through your patch many times on business via car. Dusk or later, zero cell signal, almost no radio stations for hours. Sometimes just rural roads with little to no lighting. I would be lying if I said I didn't imagine crashing somewhere there and being helpless or not found for days. In fact, the big takeaway from my first trip through was to download emergency maps on Google Maps and also locally store some very long playlists and podcasts to get me through it, since any streaming wasn't going to happen. I totally see why people are excited.

I live in Utah. Used to live in Alaska. Have driven all over the west. Many times I’d have felt some peace of mind with this added feature on my phone. Most of my state is backcountry. Beautiful, wild, amazing, and woefully out of range of mass communications and mobile phones.

 

[alexandr]

Long as these people don’t get to make decisions for me and my loved ones, I am OK with them having this kind of deeply flawed thinking.

Pretty much. My wife almost ran out of gas in an area with little to no coverage, so yeah — a feature like this is very much welcomed.

 

[Edsel]

The alternative to Apple's SOS solution is the link below. Still a huge number of ham radio operators who quickly will muster aid.

Best Handheld Ham Radio for Survival

Depending on your needs and budget, you can find the best handheld radio for survival on this list.

rvlifestyle.com

 

[Ronald C Schoedel III]

Pretty much. My wife almost ran out of gas in an area with little to know coverage, so yeah — a feature like this is very much welcomed.

The fact that Apple has literally set up multiple call centers to handle this service indicates they expect it will get lots of use. I suspect there will be many calls for issues like running out of fuel, break-downs, etc. Having humans take the calls and dispatch help will ensure the right help reaches callers.

 

[alexandr]

The alternative to Apple's SOS solution is the link below. Still a huge number of ham radio operators who quickly will muster aid.

Best Handheld Ham Radio for Survival

Depending on your needs and budget, you can find the best handheld radio for survival on this list.

rvlifestyle.com

I wouldn't call this an alternative to Apple's SOS, this requires a separate device...

 

[Ronald C Schoedel III]

I wouldn't call this an alternative to Apple's SOS, this requires a separate device...

And a license earned by taking the ham radio operator test. I’m all for ham radio, but it’s not likely the answer for most people.

 

[alexandr]

The fact that Apple has literally set up multiple call centers to handle this service indicates they expect it will get lots of use. I suspect there will be many calls for issues like running out of fuel, break-downs, etc. Having humans take the calls and dispatch help will ensure the right help reaches callers.

Right. And while not planning your fuel correctly is mainly your own fault, it doesn't mean you're not stuck in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night with no way out.

 

[Eaon]

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.

But looking at it in a more positive light, making this technology more generally available to people who could use it, but probably don't have the budget for dedicated devices like an inReach, seems like a good thing to me. Think Boy Scouts. These are kids who are starting to get to the age where their parents have bought them a phone, and in Scouting they're learning about getting outdoors, doing "risky things, but carefully". They would be able to feel a little more comfortable going out on a remote hike knowing they had this as a tool. And the leaders, who are just volunteers generally working with their own gear, also feeling comfortable that they can handle any situation that comes up. All part of the risk assessment.

What I really hope is this is actually just the leading edge of Apple eventually just making "texting by satellite" a feature, not for calling emergency services but just to send a quick text. Same idea as above, you're out on a hike with a group of kids and you're going to be back late, you need to get a message out to let people know where you are. Would be nice if that was just built into my phone instead of having to carry a whole other device.

 

[alexandr]

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.

You're right — it's bad enough we have ships and airplanes!

 

[alexandr]

And a license earned by taking the ham radio operator test. I’m all for ham radio, but it’s not likely the answer for most people.

Nope, this is the first time I'm hearing the term "ham radio". And now I'm hungry...

 

[BobSc]

But battery dead.

That's your problem. Don't try to blame anyone else for your blunder.

 

[Eaon]

Nope, this is the first time I'm hearing the term "ham radio". And now I'm hungry...

It's a weird 80s thing. And if you see a car with a strange custom license plate that just seems to be 6 random letters and numbers, they're eating a ham sandwich.

 

[Seoras]

When I see a post like this on MR I come to the comments section just to see the cynicism and snarky remarks at something good.
Read the last bit on my sig below....

 

[compwiz1202]

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.

Yes it can't save you from everything. Wild animal or bad fall you are done before you have a chance to grab your phone

 

[deckard666]

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).

No cost in the uk when it arrives next month !

 

[ksloth]

In the directors cut version of the clip, the helicopter gives em' the bird and flies off into the darkness

 

[Eaon]

In the directors cut version of the clip, the helicopter gives em' the bird and flies off into the darkness

 

[alexandr]

It's a weird 80s thing. And if you see a car with a strange custom license plate that just seems to be 6 random letters and numbers, they're eating a ham sandwich.

Interesting! I will be on the lookout

 

[Toratek]

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).

When I was in a serious motorcycle accident years ago my helicopter ride to the hospital was $16,000. Never once did that deter me from going.. what a weird thing to worry about when you’re dying.

I came across a similarly serious motorcycle accident a few year ago, provided first response. This was in an area two hours from the nearest hospital and well out of cell range. The stupid guy refused the helicopter ride when the chopper arrived due to the cost. Ended up losing most of his right foot.

Some people DO make stupid decisions due to the cost of this sort of thing. I would wager that most people using iPhones and made aware of this feature are unaware that there are sometimes substantial costs associated with rescues, which was entirely my point- nothing more.