As you probably know, iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro can communicate with emergency services via satellite. Although this feature won’t be available until November, Apple has been getting ready to release it with iOS 16.1 – which will also include a “Satellite Connection Demo” so that users can try out the satellite connection without actually calling emergency services.
Emergency SOS via Satellite
The company on Tuesday released iOS 16.1 beta 3 to developers. By analyzing the internal files of today’s update, 9to5Mac found that Apple has added multiple features (which are yet to be enabled) related to satellite communication for iPhone 14 models.
It’s unclear at this point whether Emergency SOS via Satellite will be available with iOS 16.1, as the update is expected to be released to the public in November, while Apple says that the satellite features will be made available in November. However, iOS 16.1 beta 3 also reveals something that hasn’t been mentioned before: a “Satellite Connection Demo” feature.
With this feature, users will be able to see how Emergency SOS via Satellite works without having to go to a remote area without Wi-Fi and cellular signal. Code seen by 9to5Mac suggests that the demo feature will work pretty much the same way as Emergency SOS via Satellite, so it can also instruct users on how to use it in a real-life situation.
Satellite Connection Demo can be accessed at any time via the Emergency SOS menu within the Settings app once it becomes available. Users will need to be outside and have a clear view of the sky to find the satellite connection.
Try Satellite Connection Demo. Learn how to connect to a satellite in an emergency. You can always go to Settings > Emergency SOS to try the demo.
Of course, after the iPhone connects to the satellite, it won’t call emergency services when you’re using the demo feature. This is extremely important so that people don’t call these services just for fun or curiosity. It’s worth noting that Emergency SOS via Satellite sends a text message with the location of the device to emergency services or a relay center.
More about iOS 16.1
For those who don’t have an iPhone 14, iOS 16.1 enables battery percentage for more iPhone models such as iPhone 11 and iPhone 13 mini. Apple has tweaked the battery indicator so that it now has a dynamic icon when the percentage is enabled.
The update also adds a Clean Energy Charging option, Live Activities API, early support for the Matter protocol, and the option to delete the Wallet app. For iPad users, today’s beta of iPadOS 16.1 brings Stage Manager for older iPad Pro models with the A12X and A12Z chips.
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