Apple is offering a life-saving free upgrade for a little longer. The US technology giant has confirmed that iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 users will get an extra year of free Emergency SOS via satellite access which lets them send messages for help when there's no mobile signal.
This technology was first announced late last year with owners of those newer iPhones able to point their devices at the sky, locate a satellite and ping messages to the emergency services.
Apple originally confirmed that it would offer two years of free access to this vital service but that's now been boosted by a further 12 months.
“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,” said Kaiann Drance, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide iPhone Product Marketing. “We are so happy iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 users can take advantage of this groundbreaking service for two more years for free.”
Although there's now some extra free access to this feature, there's still no word on how much Apple will charge once the bonus period ends.
What is Emergency SOS via satellite and how does it work?
Once your iPhone 14 or iPhone 15 loses its usual 4G or 5G cellular connection, you'll instantly see a satellite symbol appear at the top of the display.
Should you then suddenly need help, the option to send an Emergency Text via Satellite will pop up on the screen.
It's then a question of finding a satellite which, considering they are miles above the earth, is remarkably easy.
Apple has made finding them simple. Point the iPhone at the sky and you'll get a radar-style icon on the screen that helps pinpoint a precious location.
It's a little like a fun game, as you'll need to get the satellite icon to sit within a glowing green triangle on the display.
Once linked, a short questionnaire then appears with some vital questions - such as what's wrong and if anyone is injured - popping up on the screen.
This is instantly transmitted to a team of specialists who can gather details including location, medical data, altitude and even how much power is left in the iPhone. This data is then passed on to the correct emergency services.
After the initial message is sent, you can continue to post updates via additional satellite texts.
Along with this update being useful when an incident happens, those who regularly go off the beaten track will also now be able to send quick location data, via the Find My app, so friends and family know they are safe.