iPhone's Emergency SOS via Satellite Feature Helped Rescue Skiers Caught in Lake Tahoe Avalanche

[MacRumors]

Six skiers who survived the avalanche near Lake Tahoe on Tuesday used the Emergency SOS via satellite feature on the iPhone to get help, reports The New York Times. Emergency SOS via satellite lets iPhone users communicate with emergency responders via text when a cellular or Wi-Fi connection is not available.

The skiers were able to stay connected to the Nevada County Sheriff's Office for several hours while rescue efforts were coordinated. "One of my personnel was communicating with one of the guides over a four-hour period, giving information back to the Nevada sheriff's office and coordinating what rescues could be permitted," said Don O'Keefe, law enforcement chief for California's Office of Emergency Services.

Emergency SOS via satellite is available on the iPhone 14 and later, as well as the Apple Watch Ultra 3. Apple offers the functionality for free.

Emergency SOS via satellite has been credited with helping people in multiple off-grid emergencies, from car accidents to wild fires. The feature works in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, the U.K., and the U.S.

Article Link: iPhone's Emergency SOS via Satellite Feature Helped Rescue Skiers Caught in Lake Tahoe Avalanche

 

[DaveN]

Glad for the survivors. My condolences to the friends and families who lost loved ones.

 

[dominiongamma]

I worry the day when they will start charging people for this life-saving services

 

[nutmac]

I worry the day when they will start charging people for this life-saving services

In some ways, Apple already kinda caved. Messages and Find My via Satellite requires an active cellular plan, which is probably a given for iPhones but not for Apple Watch Ultra 3.

 

[Apple_Robert]

You never know when you or someone else might need help. Make sure you have emergency features turned on and know how to use them.

 

[ZipZilla]

This is fantastic. Lots of places cell coverage doesn't reach, this will save lives

 

[neuropsychguy]

I worry the day when they will start charging people for this life-saving services

Apple already charges for it. It’s built in to the cost of the phones or Apple services. Apple has not yet started charging extra for it. We’ll see if they do.

 

[knight556]

They aren't the only ones needing to be rescued from Tahoe.

 

[fathergll]

The only downside is that its going to ruin modern cabin in the woods horror type movies with a slasher and a bunch of teens with no cell phone reception

 

[Radeon85]

This is this why the emergency part of this needs to always remain free.

 

[emulator]

The only downside is that its going to ruin modern cabin in the woods horror type movies with a slasher and a bunch of teens with no cell phone reception

Unless it's not an TV+ movie/show and characters + their pets don't need to have Apple devices and nothing else.

 

[SAIRUS]

The only downside is that its going to ruin modern cabin in the woods horror type movies with a slasher and a bunch of teens with no cell phone reception

Or they have C1 modems and they fail…
kidding.

I would just turn the cell phones against them by doing something with the towers.

 

[I7guy]

This is this why the emergency part of this needs to always remain free.

This is why you need to be prepared. Even if apple starts charging, if it’s worth it, subscribe.

 

[Closingracer]

This is why you need to be prepared. Even if apple starts charging, if it’s worth it, subscribe.

There’s a reason why cellphones even ones that’s reported lost and stolen or doesn’t have an active sim can still call 9-1-1. For safety. I feel like all phones should be forced to have this on for free for emergencies.

 

[kenta_]

There’s a reason why cellphones even ones that’s reported lost and stolen or doesn’t have an active sim can still call 9-1-1. For safety. I feel like all phones should be forced to have this on for free for emergencies.

OnStar isn’t free after the “trail” period. Why should this be?

 

[segfaultdotorg]

ANY iPhone can be made to work with Globalstar. Apple is needlessly killing people here. Shame on you, Tim Apple!

 

[I7guy]

There’s a reason why cellphones even ones that’s reported lost and stolen or doesn’t have an active sim can still call 9-1-1. For safety. I feel like all phones should be forced to have this on for free for emergencies.

Garmins’ sat nav isn’t free. Why should apples’ be?

ANY iPhone can be made to work with Globalstar. Apple is needlessly killing people here. Shame on you, Tim Apple!

Stop with the hyperbole. While I can’t prove it I think this has already been debunked.

 

[sw1tcher]

I worry the day when they will start charging people for this life-saving services

Apple could run ads on the service to help cover costs 🤣

Example:

https://www.marketingdive.com/news/moolah-surgephone-offer-ad-supported-mobile-service/551703/

• Direct-to-consumer ad network Moolah Mobile partnered with SurgePhone Wireless to offer free mobile service to consumers in exchange for watching ads on their smartphone home-screens. The service is aimed at an estimated 1 million low-income consumers in the United States, starting with a rollout in Florida, Virginia, Georgia and Texas, per an announcement.
• The service provides free talk, text and data by subsidizing wireless bills with income generated by Moolah Mobile. The company aims to generate passive income for Android users by serving native advertisements on their home screens and letting them opt in to take surveys.

 

[avanpelt]

I worry the day when they will start charging people for this life-saving services

I doubt that will ever happen. The amount of positive PR that’s generated by stories like this far outweighs Apple’s cost to provide the service to its users.

The last thing Apple wants in a scenario similar to this is a story that says, “Someone stranded on a mountain died. They had an iPhone, but it appears that they chose not to pay Apple the required monthly fee for satellite connectivity.”

 

[quietstormSD]

Hopefully the emergency satellite functions remain “free” forever. Obviously I say “free” in quotes as the end consumer does somehow end up bearing the cost one way or another. But you catch my drift.

 

[Jerry Fritschle]

They aren't the only ones needing to be rescued from Tahoe.

Given the fatalities, it was too soon for this one.

 

[johnsawyercjs]

Apple could run ads on the service to help cover costs 🤣

Example:

https://www.marketingdive.com/news/moolah-surgephone-offer-ad-supported-mobile-service/551703/

• Direct-to-consumer ad network Moolah Mobile partnered with SurgePhone Wireless to offer free mobile service to consumers in exchange for watching ads on their smartphone home-screens. The service is aimed at an estimated 1 million low-income consumers in the United States, starting with a rollout in Florida, Virginia, Georgia and Texas, per an announcement.
• The service provides free talk, text and data by subsidizing wireless bills with income generated by Moolah Mobile. The company aims to generate passive income for Android users by serving native advertisements on their home screens and letting them opt in to take surveys.

I can see someone trapped by an avalanche, seeing a targeted ad while talking with emergency services: "Since you're an outdoors person, maybe when you get back to civilization you'd be interested in an especially warm down jacket for next time."

 

[Skyscraperfan]

In some countries especially in Europe it would be illegal for Apple to deny life saving help if that was technically possible just because someone did not have a subscription. They could still charge a justified amount afterwards, which could be hundreds or thousands of dollars. They would have to prove what it costs to run such a system.

It would be different if without the subscription some required hardware was missing and so it would technically be impossible to help.

And besides that of course Apple knows what bad press it would get if someone died, his phone could have saved him, but Apple did not let him call the emergency without a subscription.

So my theory is that it will always be free. You pay for it when you buy an expensive phone. I compare that with an expensive navigation system. If you pay $300 or so, a lifetime mobile access to live traffic data is usually included.

 

[H2SO4]

I worry the day when they will start charging people for this life-saving services

Do they not already do this everywhere?

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

I told you Tahoe was good 🙂.