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One of the best things about an iPhone is its slew of handy features, which can actually save your life in certain situations. Apple‘s Emergency SOS Satellite messaging feature proved it recently after an iPhone 14 owner used it to call for help when she broke her leg during a hike.
Ankle injury hoisted by @LACoFireAirOps after we were notified via iPhone 14 911 sos satellite feature. pic.twitter.com/Z7e18VLgQs
— Mike Leum (@Resqman) June 24, 2023
According to the report by ABC7, the rescue happened in Tujunga, California, when Juana Reyes managed to call 911 despite not having mobile service. Interestingly, Reyes was not particularly familiar with her iPhone 14’s Emergency SOS but still successfully sent a message, thanks to the prompts and guides of the feature. The Los Angeles County Fire Department Air Operations then responded and hoisted Reyes in the rescue. The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department shared that it was the third rescue it had done this year with the help of the feature.
The Emergency SOS via satellite is available in iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Pro models alongside iOS 16.1 update or later. Unfortunately, it is limited to certain countries, which include Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, the UK, and the US.
During the announcement of the feature, Apple promised that it would be free of charge for two years for those getting or activating an iPhone 14. And given the feature was released a little late in Australia and New Zealand, the free trial period for users in these locations starts from the service availability date. However, now that it is getting more expansion and some of the first iPhone 14 devices are getting near the end of their two-year free period, there are still no words from Apple about how much the service would actually cost.
The Emergency Satellite SOS capability is just one of the few offline features in iPhones. In the future, more additions are expected in the upcoming iOS 17 update of the company. For instance, Apple Maps will soon get a new capability, allowing users to download specific map areas for offline use. When downloaded, it will include all the essential details to be able to show them to you even when you go offline.
