Apple Expands Emergency SOS via Satellite to UK, France, Germany, and Ireland

[testcard]

so what does it mean? All iPhones being present in the UK, or UK iPhones(UK App Store) anywhere in the world? Or UK iPhones in the UK?

“Apple's Emergency SOS via Satellite feature is available to all iPhone 14 users running iOS 16.1 in supported countries…”. My understanding would be that if you’re resident or visiting one of the named countries with an iPhone 14, then Emergency SOS via Satellite will be available.

 

[anthorumor]

Meanwhile, I’m still lost in Deep Digeridoo.

 

[Fruit Stand]

Not sure where here in Germany we do not have any mobile network. I just checked: Even Bielefeld has 100% coverage, although it does not even exist.

https://www.breitband-monitor.de/mobilfunkmonitoring/karte

So this feature is only interesting for Germans who travel abroad. And would they pay a monthly fee once the free trial is over?

So you’re telling me there is cell service up in mountains and rural roads going to those places?

 

[Apple Mac Daz]

Got the demo but when I run it says available soon that’s in the UK

 

[iphonehype]

Got the demo but when I run it says available soon that’s in the UK

Did you have to do anything or did it just pop up? I cant see anything in settings. Cheers

 

[testcard]

Did you have to do anything or did it just pop up? I cant see anything in settings. Cheers

Are you running 16.1? Try power cycling. It should appear in Emergency SOS in Settings.

 

[deadlock]

Got the demo but when I run it says available soon that’s in the UK

On the SOS Demo screen with the circle? It's the satellite that will be within range "soon" not the feature. I've had it say "in one minute" as well.

 

[ppetrovic]

What if I travel with my 14 Pro Max from a non-supported country to Germany, for example, would I get an option to use the Emergency Satellite too? Or is it tied to the country-specific Apple ID like ECG on Apple Watch for example?

 

[br403]

Yes, it will work, I was in the US in November with my German 14 Pro and it worked (the demo mode).

 

[manofthematch]

Not sure where here in Germany we do not have any mobile network. I just checked: Even Bielefeld has 100% coverage, although it does not even exist.

https://www.breitband-monitor.de/mobilfunkmonitoring/karte

So this feature is only interesting for Germans who travel abroad. And would they pay a monthly fee once the free trial is over?

There must be a second Germany.

 

[Naildown]

Strange places to rollout honestly.. tiny countries with ubiquitous mobile coverage. How about Australia? 90% of the landmass is a giant mobile blackspot.

 

[Ashbash75]

Waste of time in the UK. You can't get an Ambulance when you do have a signal!

 

[Apple Mac Daz]

Did you have to do anything or did it just pop up? I cant see anything in settings. Cheers

Nothing it just appeared in Settings / Emergency SOS at the bottom after you scroll down

On the SOS Demo screen with the circle? It's the satellite that will be within range "soon" not the feature. I've had it say "in one minute" as well.

Thx I presumed soon meant the feature will work

 

[insomniac86]

I will be the 4th nagging for support in Australia. We have a huge landmass. Their are roads that if you break down on, the cars are sooo infrequent you have a high chance of death.

 

[testcard]

I should imagine that Apple has to negotiate with the satellite operators and emergency services infrastructure in each country before the service can launch.

 

[Criss P.]

Hopefully Australia is soon, Australia is a massive landmass with lots of opportunity to get stranded between cities.

It looks like, for some reason (technical?) they are enabling the service on the northern hemisphere first. Perhaps on an upcoming rollout phase, southern hemisphere is next?

 

[Criss P.]

Massive kudos to Apple for bringing this to Germany. Maybe they actually give a crap about the world beyond the

What other services/product are not available in Germany other than Apple Card? (The reason being that is legally tied to the banking entity, GoldmanSachs, not Apple)

 

[manofthematch]

Strange places to rollout honestly.. tiny countries with ubiquitous mobile coverage. How about Australia? 90% of the landmass is a giant mobile blackspot.

... and only ~15% of potential customers of the rollout countries. Satellite coverage additionally unknown.

 

[Radeon85]

Tried it on my Pro Max in the UK in Wales and it connected to the satellite in less than 15 seconds even with a few buildings around and a very overcast sky. So nice knowing that in an emergency I have a satellite backup as a last resort.

 

[Fruit Stand]

Strange places to rollout honestly.. tiny countries with ubiquitous mobile coverage. How about Australia? 90% of the landmass is a giant mobile blackspot.

These countries already have plenty of satellites covering them and it’s cheaper to cover these continents as they cover multiple markets while Australia would more or less be on its own along with New Zealand.

 

[mike...]

Strange places to rollout honestly.. tiny countries with ubiquitous mobile coverage. How about Australia? 90% of the landmass is a giant mobile blackspot.

That's not really true though, is it? Apple pitches this as a feature people like hikers will be interested in and there are plenty of places in the Peak District, Lake District, Wales, and Scotland where you can be without mobile coverage because nobody is building cell towers on mountains.

 

[Attirex]

Hopefully Australia is soon, Australia is a massive landmass with lots of opportunity to get stranded between cities.

….not to mention those roving bands of heavily armed post apocalyptic raiders driving around in dune buggies.

 

[bobenhaus]

Hopefully Australia is soon, Australia is a massive landmass with lots of opportunity to get stranded between cities.

Yeah everyone lives on the outside and nobody in the middle except for a few. Noice!

 

[svish]

Great to hear this. Now waiting for it to be available everywhere else.

 

[_Spinn_]

Very cool to see this rolling out so fast.