The newiPhone 14andiPhone 14 Prohave a net ton of fresh features , include Crash Detection , fantabulous battery life , and theDynamic Island , but there ’s one feature that has n’t arrived yet : Emergency SOS via orbiter . But it wo n’t be missing for much longer .
Ina press release touting the technologyand infrastructure behind the feature , Apple confirms that Emergency SOS via satellite will be arriving “ later this month ” for customers in the U.S. and Canada . It ’s not exculpated whether it will coincide with the launch ofiOS 16.2or arrive via a separate update .
Apple developed the avail in partnership with Globalstar with an investment of $ 450 million to provide the “ critical infrastructure ” for the new feature film . As Apple explain , Emergency SOS via artificial satellite uses the spectrum in L and S set indicate for peregrine satellite services by ITU Radio Regulations . Here ’s how it works :
When an iPhone user makes an Emergency SOS via orbiter request , the message is received by one of Globalstar ’s 24 satellites in scummy - earth electron orbit traveling at speeds of or so 16,000 mph . The planet then charge the message down to custom ground station turn up at primal points all over the earth .
When a message is received , it ’s then routed to emergency services or a electrical relay center with Apple - train emergency specialist if the closest location is unable to receive texts .
Globalstar administrator chairman Jay Monroe call Emergency SOS via satellite a “ generational advancement in satellite communications ” thanks to young high - power antenna design and manufactured specifically for Apple that were instal in all Globalstar ecumenical ground stations .
The characteristic will be complimentary for at least two years for all iPhone 14 users in the U.S. and Canada , including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands . However , Apple says Emergency SOS via satellite is n’t useable in Guam or American Samoa , and might not work in places above 62 degrees latitude , such as northern share of Canada and Alaska .
