Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite service now available in UK, France, Germany, Ireland

London:  Apple on Tuesday announced that its safety service Emergency SOS via satellite is now available to customers in France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK.

Available on all iPhone 14 models, the technology enables users to message with emergency services while outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.

Additionally, if users want to reassure friends and family of their whereabouts while travelling off the grid, they can now open the Find My app and share their location via satellite, the company said in a statement.

“Emergency SOS via satellite makes emergency communications over satellite more accessible, which is very exciting,” said Gary Machado, the European Emergency Number Association’s CEO.

With Emergency SOS via satellite, if a user is not able to reach emergency services because no cellular or Wi-Fi coverage is available, an easy-to-use interface appears on iPhone to get the user help utilising a satellite connection.

“Being able to use a satellite connection to contact 999 or 112 if there is no cellular or Wi-Fi coverage is a breakthrough that Apple has brought to the general public with iPhone 14,” said John Anthony, the British Association of Public Safety Communications Officials’ President.

The service will be included for free for two years starting at the time of activation of a new iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Emergency SOS via satellite and Find My via satellite require iOS 16.1 or later.

“Emergency SOS via satellite is a major innovation that will save lives by helping iPhone 14 users in remote areas who might not otherwise be able to reach emergency services,” said Michael Kelly, BT Ireland’s head of the Emergency Call Answering Service.

With Emergency SOS via satellite, users can send and receive messages in as little as 15 seconds in clear conditions.

In November, the tech giant announced the availability of its safety service Emergency SOS via satellite to customers in the US and Canada.

–IANS