I’d gladly pay ten bucks more for a phone that has this.
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Apple's Emergency SOS via Satellite Feature Saves Family Caught in Maui Wildfires
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I’d gladly pay ten bucks more for a phone that has this.
You don’t pay a dime directly for 911. You can contact emergency services via 911 without paying for any sort of cell phone plan. How do you not know this?
Just charge 99 cents per month though a subscription. I pay that for extra iCloud storage and don't think twice about it.
I mean sometimes it's deserved, but in this case — we're still more than a year away from the potential cut off for this, which just may never come!
And all the people who say it’s a PR stunt every time this feature saves lives.
Too many people on this board mistake cynicism for intelligence.
Even one saved life makes this feature incredibly valuable, and I’m glad it’s there for the sake of these people, even if I’ll never use it.
But hey, Apple should invest their development resources into letting us customise icons amirite????
If you rescue someone here in Germany and that will cost you money, you will get every cent back. Usually from the insurance of the victim. For example someone might be bleeding heavily any you have to use your shirt to stop the bleeding, which will likely ruin the shirt. Then you will of course get a new shirt for free. Or a more extreme example: You use your car to stop another car, where the breaks no longer work. Then of course you will not have to pay for the repair of your car. I think in the US that is not much different.
This is going to be added to next month’s presentation.
Also, satellite connection still works with heavy smoke in the sky?
Also, satellite connection still works with heavy smoke in the sky?
I think the family that was able to escape the life-threatening fire would answer this question with “No”, and rightly so.
How did you even come up with this scenario?))) How would you detect the nonworking breaks from your car?)))
I was a little bit skeptical (although hopeful) when they first announced this feature because I wasn't sure how well it was actually going to work in practice. However, it really seems that Apple has done a decent job on it from what I've been hearing. Very glad it's been able to save lives, it's a great thing that they've been able to implement it across their entire iPhone lineup.
Yup. Apple agreed to pay 95% of the costs for launching new Globalstar satellites and building out the infrastructure. And so far that's amounted to around a half billion dollars.
Still, many people will never be pleased, always needing an opportunity to take a swing at Apple in order to feel better.
I think (hope) they will keep emergency exchanges free, and then just charge for those who want to use it to replace a Garmin inreach or other satellite communication device while hiking/traveling/exploring (happy to hike with one less device - but the in reach isn't exactly bulky).
Basically those using it for hiking, sailing, etc. would subsidize it for all the emergency uses.
Basically those using it for hiking, sailing, etc. would subsidize it for all the emergency uses.
Yea, I can agree with this. People have a right to their opinions, but it's always good to be objective about them.
I love Apple and their products. I don't agree with every single decision they've ever made, but by and large, I think they are a very pro-consumer company that does care about their customers (and they do take pride in what they do)
Whatever fee might be rolled into Apple Services, perhaps $.99 a month should get most people to continue. Or available when needed with a $500+ fee for the one time use…
Maybe not free forever, but maybe free in regions of devastation, much like mobile providers and social networks do during hurricanes and typhoons. It would easy for them to track who gets free service by way of their recorded GPS location.
The problem with charging a subscription fee for an emergency service is you never know when you might need it. Imagine someone declining to pay just to save a few bucks and then needing the service.
My heart goes out to everyone affected by this event! A town in our province was completely burned to the ground two years ago from a wildfire. 90% of the buildings just gone, in hours. Entire lives uprooted. Valuables lost.
To the deniers... here's a deep dark hole that you can explore.
To the deniers... here's a deep dark hole that you can explore.
Apple is going to continue contributing $$$ annually to this service. I believe they are entitled to charge for it eventually. I pay between $6-$16 monthly for 4 streaming services that enhance my life — I would be willing to pay that much for an emergency service that can save my life.
It is not free for Apple. They invested initially $400+ million into Globalstar so they could improve the infrastructure that makes the SOS service possible, “… to increase reliability and coverage, these new antennas were installed in all Globalstar worldwide ground stations, including new ground stations in Nevada and Hawaii, …” ( https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2022...llite-made-possible-by-450m-apple-investment/ )
I would think if Apple were to charge it wouldn't be a subscription that blocks it, but some kind of pay per use retroactively. Imagine being with someone and getting stranded... you pay for the subscription and they dont. Your phone breaks in the situation and now your companion has the only working phone and doesn't subscribe... It's an imperfect example but one would think Apple would want to allow access in an emergency.
That analogy isn't quite right. Cars have safety features because they are inherently dangerous to operate. Your phone, on the other hand, isn't putting you in danger just by using it. Sure... using the phone can make other situations more dangerous but so can alcohol. And alcohol won't help you either, even the premium stuff.
Yea... no, you're talking about streaming services, which won't save or take your life (unless there's something very special about you...)
Just fast forward to the first time someone doesn't get rescued because they didn't opt in for this feature, all the backlash Apple's going to get — just isn't worth it, imho.
That analogy isn't quite right. Alcohol doesn't have satellite capabilities, even absinthe.
Apple does not provide rescue insurance. A simple Google search could provide this information.
Adjacent but not completely relevant info here, rescues in national parks are “free” to the person being rescued in most situations.
