How to demo Emergency SOS via satellite on your iPhone right now
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Emergency SOS via satellite, the iPhone 14 feature that allows the phone to connect to satellites for emergency services has finally gone live, fulfilling Apple’s launch promise. The service is available in the US and Canada first, and users can try a demo of the service on their iPhone without actually calling in a costly rescue.
If you want to try a demonstration of the Emergency SOS service for yourself, your iPhone 14 device can show you how it works. Go to your Settings and scroll down to the Emergency SOS menu.
At the bottom of this menu you should see the “Emergency SOS via satellite” section. You can click the “Try Demo” link to start the demo process. For the demo, the iPhone will cut off your cell service while it scans the sky for an available satellite.
This is what happens when you need it
Our editor in chief Lance Ulanoff went out and tried the Emergency SOS via satellite when it went live. From our skyscraper offices in New York City, we couldn’t see the satellite clearly, which is fine because we don’t need it. The Emergency SOS feature is really only preferable if you don’t have cell service available. Apple says if you can make calls or connect to a data network, you should do that instead.
The Emergency SOS service is very slow and can take a minute or more to send a text message to space. It relies on pre-written scripts that help you report your emergency quickly without having to send too much data.
The first question asks what kind of emergency you have, where you can choose between a vehicle problem, illness or injury, fire, getting lost, or getting trapped. For example, if you choose a vehicle issue, it will ask you further questions about how many people were involved, the current environment, and anything that can help rescuers prepare to rescue you.
As you handle communications, the iPhone tracks the satellite and advises you where to go. It will tell you to turn left or right if it needs a better signal or to find a new satellite.
Your emergency broadcast is sent through Apple’s own service, and Apple can talk to emergency services about whether or not they are able to receive text messages and the digital information the iPhone provides. Apple acts as an intermediary, not just making a direct connection between your phone and emergency services.
That satellite is very, very far away
If you thought your iPhone was already talking to a satellite every time you make a call, you’ve come a long way. Your average mobile phone mast is at most a few kilometers away. The theoretical maximum for cellular reception is about 45 miles, but in reality, carriers put up towers to make sure you have access a few miles from wherever you are.
The satellite used by the iPhone for Emergency SOS is located 850 miles above the Earth. It’s a small target in space, which is why the iPhone helps you aim at the correct location in the sky and track the satellite’s path for the duration of your session.
Note that Apple says all data sent during an Emergency SOS session is fully encrypted on both ends. Even if you use Emergency SOS to update the Find My feature on your devices with your current location, the location information remains private.
Apple says the service will be free for owners of an eligible device, including the iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone 14 Pro Max, for at least the first two years. The service is now live in the US and Canada and will come to the UK, Ireland, Germany and France by the end of the year.