With Apple's latest device, assistance is now just a tap away if something goes wrong while you're camping in France or hiking in California.
Last week, the tech giant expanded the Emergency SOS via satellite feature, which focuses on safety, to four more nations, making this potentially life-saving tool available to more adventurers who find themselves off the grid.
After initially debuting on Nov. 15 in the U.S. and Canada, the feature is now accessible as of Dec. 13 in France, Germany, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.
Any iPhone 14 model running iOS 16.1 or later, including the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max, is required for Emergency SOS via satellite.
Even if satellite connectivity hasn't (yet) launched in your home country, the service is still available in the six specified nations regardless of where you bought your device.
iPhones bought in Hong Kong, Macau, and mainland China are the only exceptions.
Sadly, out-of-date Apple handsets won't be able to connect to satellites.
Only earlier this year released iPhone 14 range included the necessary communications gear.
There are two extremely significant features that could be useful to many tourists, though I'll go through a step-by-step tutorial for using them below.
Getting assistance when there is no cellular or Wi-Fi connection
Traditionally, your smartphone would be completely cut off from people back home if you didn't have access to a cellphone signal or Wi-Fi network.
However, with the inclusion of satellite connectivity, all you need to contact assistance is a clear view of the sky and some time.
(Occasionally, it can take a few minutes to establish a reliable satellite connection.)
Your iPhone 14 will be able to contact first responders using satellites in the event of an emergency, whether of whether you're camping in a distant location, traveling through backcountry roads, or trekking in a national park.
When you are offline, share your location
Apple's new satellite service might help convince family members back home that everything is well even if you don't require emergency assistance.
With Apple's new satellite connectivity, you are unable to make calls or send texts, but you may upload your location to the Find My app when you are offline.
For individuals who are going outside or visiting isolated areas and wish to inform friends and family of their whereabouts, this feature should be extremely helpful.
Apple is investing hundreds of millions of dollars in Covington, Louisiana-based Globalstar, a global satellite service, to help power the new feature.
You will establish a connection to one of the company's 24 low-Earth orbiting satellites when you activate the function, which is moving at a speed of about 16,000 mph.
Although the service is currently available in six nations, Apple says that more will be introduced over the course of the following year.
When a new iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, or iPhone 14 Pro Max is activated, the service is free for two years.
Even if you use the function while going abroad to a place where the service is already active, take note that your two-year timer won't start until the service is made available in your home country.
How much the function will cost after the initial two years has not yet been disclosed by Apple.
How to use Apple's Emergency SOS through satellite
Run through the procedures of what you'd do in case of tragedy strikes as one of the greatest strategies to get ready for an emergency.
In order to accomplish that, Apple integrated a demo of the new satellite connectivity capability right into the settings app.
To test out the Emergency SOS feature, simply scroll down to the settings and click "Try Demo" at the bottom.
You can choose your emergency contacts here as well, so they will be informed if you use this tool in a genuine emergency.
Try calling the emergency services phone number in the nation you're visiting if something unexpected occurs while you're off the grid.
(In the US and Canada, this is 911; in France and Germany, it's 112; and in Ireland and the UK, it's 999 or 112).
The bottom right of the screen will provide a button to initiate a text discussion with emergency services if you don't have enough service to make the call.
A short questionnaire that will be forwarded to first responders will then ask you to report an emergency.
You'll be asked if you want to alert your emergency contacts as well.
Once your message is delivered, crucial health information, such as your medical ID, location (including elevation), and remaining iPhone battery life, will be shared.
Your iPhone will direct you to find a satellite, which may mean turning left or right or if at all possible, getting out of the path of a lot of greenery.
You should be aware that satellite service might not function if you're above 62 degrees latitude, which includes the northern regions of Canada and Alaska.
Depending on your circumstance, you might receive more follow-up communications from first responders after connecting.
Open the Find My app and select the "Me" option in the lower right corner of the screen if you want to share your location with your loved ones but aren't in an emergency.
Under the satellite banner, select "Send my Location," and then adhere to the on-screen directions.
You can only update your location once every 15 minutes when connecting through satellite.
Keep in mind that unless you're linked to a cellular or Wi-Fi network, you won't be able to view your friend's position.
Read Apple's thorough step-by-step instructions for using Emergency SOS via satellite for more information and specifics on how to use the service.
FACEBOOK