The satellite emergency SOS feature introduced with the iPhone 14 series played a crucial role in saving a person trapped in snow in New York.
According to media reports, on December 2 at 2:00 p.m., Alaska State Troopers received an emergency message from a man who was stranded in deep snow. His snow machine had broken down while traveling, and he was out of cellular signal range.
Fortunately, the man’s iPhone 14 was equipped with the new satellite connectivity feature. Using this, he sent a distress notification via the satellite-enabled Emergency SOS, alerting rescue authorities despite no cellular coverage.
Apple’s Emergency Response Center coordinated with local agencies to reach and rescue the stranded man. Officials noted that without this satellite SOS feature, the man could have been trapped in the wilderness for a prolonged period.
Apple has announced that this Emergency SOS via satellite service will be free for the first two years. Details about pricing after this period have not yet been disclosed. Currently, this feature is available only in the United States and Canada, with no information yet on expansion to other countries.