With iPhone 14 and later, users can contact emergency services even when there’s no Wi-Fi or cellular signal thanks to the Emergency SOS via satellite feature. This feature was first launched in the US and Canada and has since been slowly expanded to more countries. Today, Apple confirmed the expansion of Emergency SOS via satellite to one more country.
Emergency SOS via satellite now available in Japan with iOS 17.6
With iOS 17.6, which was released to the public on Monday, owners of iPhone 14 and later can use Emergency SOS via satellite in Japan. The news was confirmed by Apple itself on its website.
“Starting today, Apple’s groundbreaking safety service, Emergency SOS via satellite, will be provided to Japanese customers. This innovative technology, which is available on all iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 models, allows users to share information with emergency call services even outside cell phone communication and Wi-Fi range,” says the company.
Emergency SOS via satellite has been described as a “game changer” by search and rescue teams, and has been credited with a number of helicopter rescues. The feature has already proven to save lives since its launch, and it continues to do so.
When a user activates Emergency SOS, their iPhone prompts a series of questions to gather crucial information. This process can take a few minutes. The collected data is transmitted to relay centers, where specialists promptly intervene on behalf of the user. Additionally, the entire transcript can be shared with the user’s emergency contacts.
With the feature, iPhone users can even share their location with others through the Find My app using satellite connectivity.
In addition to Japan, Emergency SOS via satellite is available in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The feature works with any iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 model.
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