The iPhone 14’s emergency SOS feature
(Picture: Apple)For the iPhone 14 series – regular, Plus and Pro and Pro Max – Apple introduced the rarest kind of feature: one that could literally be a lifesaver.
Emergency SOS allows owners to connect to emergency services via satellite when they are out of cellular or wi-fi range. While you are unlikely to need this within the comforting familiarity of Zones 1-3, it should offer some peace of mind if you take a trip to a remote location where cellular reception is less guaranteed.
From December 13, the service is available free to iPhone 14 buyers in the UK, France, Germany and Ireland, should they ever need emergency assistance.
To be clear, the feature doesn’t connect you directly to a 999 operator — satellite communications aren’t designed with that in mind, as satellites are low bandwidth, constantly moving and hundreds of miles from Earth.
Instead, the feature is text-based, requiring you to pick from a handful of options to describe your emergency. You will then be connected to a relay centre, where an Apple-trained emergency specialist will talk to you via text to get additional information, passing the details on to emergency services on your behalf. All the while, your iPhone will direct you where to point it for the best reception.
If you want to see how it works, all you have to do is step outside to ensure a satellite is in range. Once you have a clear view of the sky, go to Settings, and then tap Emergency SOS. From there, scroll down and tap “Try Demo”.
The feature isn’t just for emergencies, and can also be used to give friends and family peace of mind if you’re travelling off grid via the Find My app.
Like the Crash Detection feature introduced to the iPhone 14 and Apple Watch 8, Emergency SOS could well save lives (even if the former has been having some rollercoaster-shaped teething problems). But certain questions remain: the main one being how much it will cost in the long run.
Apple has pledged that the service will be free of charge to iPhone 14 owners for two years after they activate their devices, but the company has yet to make clear what happens after that cut-off point. It will probably be part of a subscription service but whether it will be bundled with something else (Apple Care or Apple One) or a subscription in its own right remains to be seen.
Still, with at least 20 months until the earliest iPhone 14 adopter’s free period ends, Apple has plenty of time to iron out the fine details. Assuming the feature continues with the iPhone 15 and 16, Apple is probably waiting to see how much people lean on its satellite network before a final price is set.
