“SOS Emergency Call” via satellite makes it possible to contact the emergency services in the event of a problem, even without a cellular network or wifi. But not everyone can enjoy it. We take stock.
We had to wait more than three months after the announcement but that’s it: it is now possible in France to call for help from your iPhone even in the depths of a forest, without mobile network or wifi. This feature, called “SOS Emergency Call” via satellite, only works with the latest generation of Apple smartphones, the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro.
As its name suggests, it uses a satellite connection to communicate and not the antennas of the operators, which only cover part of the territory. To activate it, just go to the phone settings and select one or more numbers to contact in case of problems. No voice calls here, just the ability to send text messages and share location using GPS coordinates. The smartphone can also attempt to contact the emergency services itself in the event of a car accident, for example.
Already two lives saved
“SOS Emergency Call” via satellite is offered free of charge for two years to iPhone 14 owners. How much will this feature cost thereafter? For now, Apple has not announced prices.
Cnet reports, in an article from Wednesday, December 14, that an emergency SOS has already helped the two passengers of a car that had ended up at the bottom of a ravine in California after going off the road. The iPhone would have detected the accident and contacted the emergency services on its own. The victims were quickly located before being airlifted.