Apple has announced that the iPhone 14’s emergency distress via satellite feature will be released later this month, as previously announced. Since the company’s just-released iOS 16.1.1 did not bring the feature, users wondered if Apple would delay it. The company issued a press release stating that the service that will enable emergency distress via satellite on newer iPhone models will be rolled out on schedule.
According to Apple, the company has invested $450 million in infrastructure in the U.S. to build a satellite network and ground stations that will fuel the new service, which will launch later this month. The investment, which was initiated in its Advanced Manufacturers Fund, will help bring this security feature to the iPhone 14 series.
The new service, which will be available to customers in the U.S. and Canada, allows iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models to connect directly to satellites and exchange information with emergency services outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.
Apple said the majority of the funding went to Globalstar, a global satellite service with facilities throughout the United States.
Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer, said, “Sending emergency distress signals via satellite is a perfect example of how American ingenuity and technology can save lives. We are proud that this service is provided by a leading U.S. company and that our users can explore off-grid areas knowing they are still within range of emergency services when they need them.”
Apple’s emergency distress service via satellite utilizes spectrum in the L and S bands specifically designated by the ITU Radio Regulations for mobile satellite services. When an iPhone user sends an emergency distress signal via satellite, the message is received by one of Globalstar’s 24 satellites, which travel at approximately 16,000 miles per hour in low Earth orbit. The satellite then sends the message down to customized ground stations located at key points around the world.
For the first two years, the emergency distress feature via satellite is free to users, even those visiting the U.S. or Canada, until 2024. The company will then announce at a later date the price that users will have to pay if they keep the service enabled.
