Apple launches Emergency SOS via satellite for Irish users

When Apple launched the iPhone 14, one of its most interesting features was the very one most people will never have to use. The Emergency SOS safety service, which uses satellites to allow iPhone 14 users to contact emergency services if they are outside regular mobile signal or Wi-Fi coverage, is now available to Irish users after the company made it available to Ireland, France, Germany and the UK.

It has been designed to be simple to use, eliciting the necessary information from users, with Apple applying a compression technology to the text messages that reduces their size by about 3x, to allow them to be sent more quickly. In clear conditions, that could be as little as 15 seconds.

Because emergency services deal with calls rather than texts, the messages are passed on to relay centres, which are staffed with Apple-trained specialists, who contact emergency services on the users‘ behalf.

The technology can also be used to update your location in the Find My app, providing reassurance to family and friends if you are out of data coverage.

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The Emergency SOS satellite service is only available to the iPhone 14 range, with a combination of custom-designed components and integrated software working together to make it possible.

Some of the most popular places to travel are off the beaten path and simply lack cellular coverage. With Emergency SOS via satellite, the iPhone 14 lineup provides an indispensable tool that can get users the help they need while they are off the grid,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing. “Our teams worked tirelessly to tackle a new set of technical challenges to bring this service to life, in addition to building a reliable on-the-ground infrastructure. Emergency SOS via satellite is a breakthrough service available only on the iPhone 14 lineup, and a new innovation that we hope will provide our customers some peace of mind.”

Users can try the service out in a demo mode, which guides you through the process without connecting to emergency services so you can familiarise yourself with how it works should you need it in the future.

The service can be found under the Settings menu, under Emergency SOS, and requires iOS 16.1.

The key thing is to have a clear view of the sky to connect to the satellite; the signal can be blocked by trees or buildings. Once the connection has been made, the satellite turns green, indicating its success. If you can’t find a signal even with a clear view of the sky because a satellite is not yet in range, the system will give you a time frame for the next one, counting down in minutes until the satellite passes overhead.

The latest satellite SOS technology builds on a number of emergency features offered to iPhone users, including the crash detection, medical ID and emergency contacts.

“Emergency SOS via satellite makes emergency communications over satellite more accessible, which is very exciting,” said Gary Machado, the European Emergency Number Association’s chief executive. “In practice, it means that many more people will be able to contact 112 when they have no mobile coverage and need urgent assistance. We are confident that this will save many lives and offer significant help to emergency services dealing with these often very complicated rescues.”