Apple’s Satellite Emergency SOS is now live in the Southern Hemisphere, specifically Australia and New Zealand. The service is available on 14 types of iPhones running iOS 16.4 or later.
The feature is already available in twelve countries around the world, including France, Belgium, Canada, Austria, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, the United Kingdom and, of course, the United States.
The importance of being connected
Both Australia and New Zealand have the distinction of having large areas with very little cellular service. Apple’s Emergency Satellite SOS is therefore welcome. Available for iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, it’s free for two years from terminal activation. The service allows users to send text messages to emergency services via satellite when cellular coverage and Wi-Fi are unavailable. It also offers an option to share its position via satellite through the Locate application.
In a statement announcing the official launch of the feature, Australia’s Communications Minister explained. Australians are well aware of the importance of being connected in the countryside, far from civilization, especially in times of emergency “. The latter underlines the role of this service in the absence of mobile coverage. ” This will greatly help emergency services to respond, protect and ultimately get people out of harm’s way. “, she adds.
Satellite emergency SOS saves lives
Satellite Emergency SOS was launched last year. Dial 000 in Australia or 111 in New Zealand to get started. ” It has already saved lives in 12 countries where it operates This function requires a clear view of the sky, says Apple.
Its users can send and receive messages in just 15 seconds on a clear day. However, connection times may vary depending on the environment, message length, and satellite network status and availability. A short questionnaire regarding important information is to be completed. This is then sent to emergency responders. The interface indicates where to point the iPhone in the sky to connect and send the initial message.
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