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.
Apple today released iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5, the fifth updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 come a little over a month after Apple released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. The iOS 18.5 update has a...
Apple today released tvOS 18.5, the latest version of the tvOS operating system. tvOS 18.5 comes a little over a month after the launch of tvOS 18.4, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models.
tvOS 18.5 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the Apple TV. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software. Apple TV owners who have...
Apple is considering raising prices for its upcoming iPhone 17 models set to release this fall, according to people familiar with the matter cited by The Wall Street Journal.
The company reportedly aims to pair the potential price hikes with new features and design changes to justify the increased cost to consumers, rather than attributing them to U.S. tariffs on goods from China.
The...
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.5, the fifth major update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that launched last September. macOS Sequoia 15.5 comes a little over a month after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.4.
Mac users can download the macOS Sequoia 15.5 update through the Software Update section of System Settings. It is available for free on all Macs able to run ...
Following more than a month of beta testing, Apple is expected to release iOS 18.5 to the general public this week. While the software update is relatively minor, it still includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones.
Below, we recap everything new in iOS 18.5.
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Tuesday April 29, 2025 1:30 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
Apple will mark the 10th anniversary of the iPhone X in 2027 by launching a mostly glass, curved iPhone without any cutouts in the display, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said the all-screen device will arrive later in 2027, suggesting a fall release. The model will be preceded by Apple's first foldable iPhone, claims the reporter....
@TheYayAreaLiving ? it showed up in my Emergency SOS settings in past hour or so. There is the test mode there showing it now is active. Normally won’t show anything else in phone or such unless you have no cell signal. But you can test the demo mode without risk and such. Will later when outside for the experience of course ;-). Have to try everything LOL
Very nice! Gotta test it out tho. I might plan a hiking trip to see how efficient and effective it is. But it’s so cold outside. I wish this feature was released in the summer.
For free I'll take it but a subscription is out of the question. I got better chance of being hit by lightning than being in a life threatening emergency situation without service.
