Apple extends free satellite SOS service for iPhone 14 users
Apple has extended the free use of its Emergency SOS via satellite feature for iPhone 14 users for another year. The feature enables compatible iPhone users to send brief text messages to nearby emergency services even when Wi-Fi/cellular signals are unavailable. Initially, iPhone 14 customers were granted free access for two years post-device activation, which would have expired in 2024. Now, all current iPhone 14 users will have access to the life-saving service, at no cost, for an additional year.
No extension for iPhone 15 users
Apple's iPhone 15 users also get free two-year access to the satellite features but the usage period remains unchanged for them. That means, both iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 customers will see their free periods end around the same time, starting September 2025. Apple hasn't disclosed the fees for the satellite features following the free period. The feature is currently live in 16 countries including the US, the UK, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland, among others.
'Emergency SOS has helped save lives'
Kaiann Drance, Apple's Vice President of Worldwide iPhone Product Marketing, stated that "Emergency SOS via satellite has helped save lives around the world." "From a man who was rescued after his car plummeted over a 400-foot cliff in Los Angeles, to lost hikers found in the Apennine Mountains in Italy, we continue to hear stories of our customers being able to connect with emergency responders when they otherwise wouldn't have been able to."
Additional features powered by satellite communications
To note, users can update their location in the Find My app using the satellite signal. With iPhone 15, Apple expanded the Emergency SOS feature to include contacting roadside assistance when a car breaks down. The service, of course, isn't cost-free for Apple, as it must pay satellite operators for connections and maintain relay centers that forward text messages from users' phones to emergency service call centers. The company hasn't revealed the infrastructure expenses associated with operating the emergency tool.
