Apple's Emergency SOS via Satellite Feature Saves Family Caught in Maui Wildfires

[MacRumors]

The iPhone 14's Emergency SOS via Satellite feature played an important role in the rescue of a family in Maui that became trapped by the wildfires spreading across the region.

Twitter user Michael Miraflor said that five people related to his brother's girlfriend were caught in a vehicle in Maui after the wildfires surrounded them. There was no cell service available at their location, so they used Emergency SOS to communicate with first responders.

Miraflor shared a screenshot of the entire Emergency SOS text chain, giving us a look at the local fire department and dispatchers in action. The family was located at the Outlets of Maui, a shopping mall in Lahaina where the fires are located.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1689452794443632640

In the text thread, the family's location is relayed to the dispatcher, and they're able to communicate that they are surrounded by fire with no visibility and no way out due to blocked roads. Within 30 minutes, fire crews were able to reach the family and safely evacuated them thanks to the Emergency SOS via Satellite feature.

The wildfires in Hawaii have been devastating, resulting in the deaths of at least 36 people. Strong winds have been driving the fires, and the town of Lahaina, where the family was trapped, was largely destroyed.

Apple's Emergency SOS via Satellite feature is available across all iPhone 14 models, and it has so far been responsible for saving multiple lives and getting people in remote locations help. Emergency SOS via Satellite is available in areas where there is no WiFi or no cellular connectivity, and so far, Apple has made it available as a free service.

Article Link: Apple's Emergency SOS via Satellite Feature Saves Family Caught in Maui Wildfires

 

[mattopotamus]

That's pretty freaking amazing.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Wow! Remarkable. Let's all thank Apple for the Emergency SOS feature. Saving Lives over here! 👏

 

[FSMBP]

This is truly fantastic. Also, I believe this is the first time we've seen actual screenshots of SOS texts?

 

[firsttube]

This is so rad. Horrible to hear about the tragic events, but nice to have a silver lining here and there. I wonder about the dynamic of asking people to pay for something that might save their lives after the free Satellite SOS period runs out though. I'm curious if Apple just decides to keep it free with a little accounting voodoo, similar to how they changed future macOS updates to free a number of years ago.

 

[killawat]

Incredible. A bunch of cell towers are down obviously, and 911 stopped working as of yesterday.

I imagine we'll see stories like this in WWDC '24. Not downplaying the situation at all, but Apple deserves some credit here. Satellite based comms for the masses, no special hardware required.

 

[firsttube]

This is truly fantastic. Also, I believe this is the first time we've seen actual screenshots of SOS texts?

Yeah, I've never seen them myself. Very very cool.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Incredible. A bunch of cell towers are down obviously, and 911 stopped working as of yesterday.

I imagine we'll see stories like this in WWDC '24. Not downplaying the situation at all, but Apple deserves some credit here. Satellite based comms for the masses, no special hardware required.

Agreed! In addition, Apple needs to make the Emergency SOS feature FREE forever.

 

[Anappleaday29]

This has gone from what I believed to be just good PR to advertise for Apple, to a full-blown necessity to have in case of a dire emergency. This was incredible to read.

 

[Radeon85]

Tools like this should be free for anyone because it could be life and death. Pointless having the hardware if it ends up requiring a paid subscription because most won't pay.

It would be like calling 911 but they can't help whatsoever because you don't have a paid subscription.

 

[alexandr]

Tools like this should be free for anyone because it could be life and death. Pointless having the hardware if it ends up requiring a paid subscription because most won't pay.

It would be like calling 911 but they can't help whatsoever because you don't have a paid subscription.

Why so negative — did they give you a price plan already? I have a feeling that they will keep this free after the 2 years are up.

 

[Skyscraperfan]

So Apple still wants to charge money for that service? Imagine the PR disaster, if someone is not rescued, because he did not have a subscription. Emergency calls have traditionally always been free in all networks. Do it would be very unfortunate if the iPhone could technically reach the satellite, but will rather let the iPhone owner die, because he did not buy a subscription. That could even be illegal in the EU.

 

[4087258]

Seeing the headline is “ok”; but reading the text messages (screenshot) is really shocking… Real people, real lives; existence itself. Not just advertise at all.

 

[alexandr]

Thank god for that, it's devastating what's happening there...

 

[Radeon85]

Why so negative — did they give you a price plan already? I have a feeling that they will keep this free after the 2 years are up.

I'm not negative in anyway, problem is Apple has never discussed as far as know if this will be a guaranteed paid service in the future and how much it may end up being or if it ends up being free forever.

 

[alexandr]

So Apple still wants to charge money for that service? Imagine the PR disaster, if someone is not rescued, because he did not have a subscription. Emergency calls have traditionally always been free in all networks. Do it would be very unfortunate if the iPhone could technically reach the satellite, but will rather let the iPhone owner die, because he did not buy a subscription. That could even be illegal in the EU.

Exactly why I think that after 2 years(or maybe even this year) they will announce that the service will remain free for all and forever. Otherwise — you're absolutely right — it would be a complete PR disaster for Apple, the money-hungry capitalists who could've saved lived but didn't.

 

[alexandr]

I'm not negative in anyway, problem is Apple has never discussed as far as know if this will be a guaranteed paid service in the future and how much it may end up being or if it ends up being free forever.

Right, but your comment sounds like this has already happened))) (at least to me). So far all they said is that it's free for 2 years, but with all the positive publicity over this I have a hard time believing that they would set themselves on fire publicly.

 

[Azzin]

Exactly why I think that after 2 years(or maybe even this year) they will announce that the service will remain free for all and forever. Otherwise — you're absolutely right — it would be a complete PR disaster for Apple, the money-hungry capitalists who could've saved lived but didn't.

I’m pretty sure they said free for 2 years.

 

[alexandr]

I’m pretty sure they said free for 2 years.

They did, and I referenced that in a few comments here. But they can change the plan, wouldn't be the first time...

 

[Skyscraperfan]

Imagine a car had additional (non-mandatory) airbags, but they would only engage during an accident, if the buyer has unlocked them for an extra fee. It would be different, if those airbags would only be built into the more expensive cars, but once they are in a car, they should work. That is the analogy to the iPhone, which could rescue its owner, but does not.

Not sure how the laws are in the US, but even as a private citizen you have to rescue someone if you know he is in danger and the rescue will not put yourself in danger.

 

[Darth Tulhu]

Anyone who referred to that feature as a gimmick should now eat their words with a healthy side of shut up.

 

[alexandr]

I spent a year on my motorcycle touring North and Central America. I had a garmin gps device and paid a subscription for an emergency messaging service.

Should Garmin have given that to me for free?

Yes, absolutely — if they also gave you a time machine — go back and demand it!

 

[CarAnalogy]

Wow! Remarkable. Let's all thank Apple for the Emergency SOS feature. Saving Lives over here! 👏

I know Apple has made some hard sells. $1000 monitor stand, etc. But I don't think even they could tout lives saved for two years and follow it up with "and now: $99 per year, and we think you're gonna love it."

I could see them saying something like "free with AppleCare+" or "included with Apple One" but I really hope not.

Will be really interesting to see how Apple handles this one.

 

[Howyalikdemapls]

So cool!

I should probably figure out how that works. I watched the presentation a year or two ago or whenever it was, but haven’t given it a second look since that time. It’s highly unlikely I’ll ever need it but it’s probably wise for everyone to familiarize with this feature just in case.

 

[redbeard331]

They could always bake the price into a hidden price increase somewhere else and keep it “free” forever.

I have several members that we couldn’t locate for quite awhile yesterday with the phone lines down, thankfully they were north of Lahaina before the fires started. I don’t think any of them have iPhone 14’s, might be time to upgrade. I can’t remember if you can use it to text a family member to let them know you’re safe? Or is it for 911 calls only?