Apple today announced that the iPhone 14's Emergency SOS via Satellite feature will begin rolling out to customers in the United States and Canada starting today, with other countries coming later next month. Alongside the announcement, Apple also gave select YouTubers and media outlets early access to the feature, offering a closer look at how it works.
The service will be free for the first two years, but Apple has not said what will happen after then. To help users understand how it works, Apple has created a demo mode that allows users to experience the feature and its interface without having it active and contacting emergency services. Below, we've embedded some videos that offer a closer look at the demo mode and how the feature works.
From a technical level, Emergency SOS via Satellite works by utilizing technology built into all iPhone 14 models that allow them to connect to satellites in orbit around the earth to contact emergency services when a user is outside cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. Apple has built a new interface that allows users to send messages to emergency services over satellite using a questionnaire that asks critical questions for first responders to understand the emergency and dispatch help.
The message sent to emergency services includes a user's location, including altitude, their iPhone battery level, and their Medical ID, if they have one. The messages are sent directly to dispatchers or sent to a center of Apple‑trained specialists who can call emergency services on a user's behalf. For a more detailed dive into the feature, see our guide.
