Emergency SOS via Satellite Archives - Gizmochina

A Challenging 24-Hour Rescue Operation Later, the Apple iPhone’s ‘Emergency SOS via Satellite’ Feature Shines again

Anubhav — Sat, 23 Mar 2024 01:39:03 +0000

A family’s harrowing ordeal in Mt. Hood National Forest in the US this week once again reminded us of the life-saving potential of Apple‘s Emergency SOS via satellite feature. The stranded hikers were located and rescued after a 24-hour operation initiated by a critical message sent through their iPhone. According to a press release from the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, the family found themselves in a precarious situation on Tuesday, March 19th. Having hiked a significant distance and gained considerable elevation, they became lost and unable to continue. One member of the group, comprised of four adults and two juveniles, managed to send an SOS message via satellite using their iPhone.

Ground crews managed to reach the hikers overnight

This message, received by emergency dispatchers around 7:30 pm, kickstarted the rescue effort. However, challenging weather conditions and difficult terrain hampered rescue teams’ initial attempts to reach the stranded family. Search and rescue personnel deployed all-terrain vehicles but were forced back by the elements.

Despite the setback, ground crews managed to reach the family early the next morning, finding them cold, wet, and dehydrated but thankfully unharmed. With their location confirmed, additional resources were called in, including a helicopter. Unfortunately, thick weather prevented a safe landing.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office’s snowcat came in clutch, and it reached the area shortly before 10:00 am. The snowcat, however, faced its own challenge – the treacherous terrain. It took several hours to navigate the route and reach the family, but by 7:30 pm that evening, the whole thing finally came to an end as the rescued group was transported back to safety.

iPhone’s Emergency SOS Feature also recently saved lost hikers in California. With the ability to send messages and share location data even without cellular or Wi-Fi coverage, the feature can be a lifesaver in critical situations. We should also keep in mind that the story of this family’s rescue is a reminder of the importance of being prepared when venturing outdoors. It also highlights the invaluable role technology can play in emergency situations.

RELATED:

(Via)

The post A Challenging 24-Hour Rescue Operation Later, the Apple iPhone’s ‘Emergency SOS via Satellite’ Feature Shines again appeared first on Gizmochina.

Emergency SOS Via Satellite Service Extended By One Year For Free For Existing iPhone 14 Users

Viraj Gawde — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 13:57:10 +0000

Apple introduced Emergency SOS via Satellite on last year’s iPhone 14 series. The groundbreaking feature has been available in several select countries. It has been praised numerous times by first responders and rescue teams for saving lives of customers who have been struck in emergency situations. The Cupertino-based tech giant promised two years of free Emergency SOS during the launch of the iPhone 14. Now, the company has announced that it is extending the service for an additional year at free of cost.

Apple extends Emergency SOS service for iPhone 14

Apple launched the iPhone 14 in September last year. The Emergency SOS via Satellite is available in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, the U.K., and the U.S. The service is free for two years starting at the time of activation of the new iPhone 14 models.

The Cupertino-based tech giant is extending the Emergency SOS for an additional year for the existing iPhone 14 users in countries where it is supported. Apple says that the free trial will be extended for users who activated their devices prior to 12am PT on November 15, 2023.

Emergency SOS via Satellite is also free for the current-generation iPhone 15 for two years starting at the time of activation. Apple is yet to announce the pricing of the service once the free trial ends. The feature allows users of the device to send emergency message alerts in remote places where there is no cellular or WiFi coverage without any special hardware.

Apple iPhone 14 Emergency SOS Via Satellite Saves Two Hikers in New Zealand

Anubhav — Sat, 09 Sep 2023 02:27:46 +0000

While smartphones are rapidly advancing in terms of their capabilities, one essential feature that’s increasingly garnering attention is Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite. Most recently, it aided the rescue of two stranded hikers in New Zealand’s Arthur’s Pass, as per a post by Canterbury West Air Rescue Service on Instagram. Although this marks the first use of the feature in New Zealand, it raises questions about the use of Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) in outdoor adventures.

Satellite SOS services may become a staple feature in future smartphones

The satellite-enabled SOS function on the iPhone 14 allows users to alert authorities when they are in regions without any cellular connectivity. In New Zealand’s case, the hikers were caught off guard by a rising stream, rendering them immobile on a riverbank. The satellite feature helped them contact rescue services, who swiftly intervened.

However, Canterbury West Air Rescue Service highlighted the enduring importance of PLBs, despite the evolving technology in smartphones. “It’s pretty new technology so Personal Locator Beacons are still recommended on your travels,” they said.

In contrast, Huawei has been incrementally improving its satellite capabilities as well. The recently launched Mate 60 Pro allows customers of China Telecom to make calls via satellite, upping the ante in the ongoing smartphone race.

The value of Apple’s SOS feature is undeniable, especially with its inclusion in the forthcoming iPhone 15 series. Still, the incident in New Zealand should serve as a wake-up call for adventurers. While smartphones can be lifesavers in emergency situations, they are not a replacement for specialized equipment like PLBs, which are solely designed for emergency rescues. Battery life, for example, remains a concern; during a rescue, the user’s iPhone battery status is one of the first things the rescue team verifies. The bottom line? Always carry a Personal Locator Beacon when venturing into the great outdoors, even if your latest smartphone promises the moon—or, in this case, a satellite connection.

RELATED:

(Via)

The post Apple iPhone 14 Emergency SOS Via Satellite Saves Two Hikers in New Zealand appeared first on Gizmochina.

Apple’s Satellite SOS Feature Helps Prevent a Major Forest Fire on an Island in Canada

Anubhav — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 02:14:16 +0000

Apple‘s Emergency SOS feature was talked about quite a lot when it first came out. People wondered if there would be any practical applications for such a niche feature. Well, their concerns will definitely be hushed up once they find out that a group of Canadian residents in Missanabie, Ontario, recently utilized the iPhone 14’s SOS via satellite feature to call for emergency services. This is how they fought a raging forest fire on Dog Lake Island without any available cellular connection.

The fire was also taken care of by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry who arrived later

The new iPhone feature, incorporated in both the 14 and 14 Pro models, enables users to reach out to emergency services during connectivity blackouts. It is primarily used in emergency situations such as when an adventurer gets lost or injured. However, this event marked another practical application for the feature, demonstrating its utility in firefighting efforts.

The duo, Warren Thibodeau and Orel Crack, alongside local firefighter Craig Spooner, embarked on a daring expedition to combat the island fire. They navigated their way to the blazing island, tirelessly spraying water until the fire was quenched. Their valiant efforts were supported by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) who arrived promptly after being contacted through the satellite feature.

“The new GlobalStar emergency feature of the iPhone 14 facilitated our communication with the MNRF while approaching the burning island,” Eric Belanger, who photographed and shared the event, stated. The following day, a camper from Dog Lake Cottages and Campground, Marc G., confirmed that the MNRF were tidying up the aftermath.

The SOS via satellite feature becomes available when cellular signal is non-existent. The user interface prompts the user to point their iPhone toward a nearby satellite for a signal. This feature gathers data about the reported incident and shares the user’s location with emergency services. Despite the slow data transfer speeds and potential poor connection quality, it offers a lifeline in emergency situations, underlining the revolutionary impact of technology on public safety and disaster management.

RELATED:

(Via)

The post Apple’s Satellite SOS Feature Helps Prevent a Major Forest Fire on an Island in Canada appeared first on Gizmochina.

Apple brings Emergency SOS via Satellite feature to Australia and New Zealand

Jeet — Mon, 15 May 2023 02:14:57 +0000

Last year, when Apple released the new iPhone 14 and 14 Pro series smartphones, the company added Emergency SOS via Satellite. After the company started rolling out the feature, it has been focused on expanding it to other regions.

In the latest development, the Emergency SOS via Satellite feature has been launched in Australia and New Zealand for Apple iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro users running iOS 16.1 or later version.

With the addition of two more countries, the satellite feature is now available in 14 countries — United States, United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Australia, and New Zealand.

The feature enables users to send text messages to emergency services when there’s no cellular network or Wi-Fi connection available, that too without any other type of hardware additions or additional software. When the user contacts an emergency service with this new feature, it sends the current location and a message that the user needs assistance.

It’s worth noting that the feature only works outside in open spaces with a clear sight of the sky and without obstructions like trees, buildings, etc.

As of now, the Emergency SOS via Satellite is a free service for two years after the activation of an iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Pro, and after two years, users will need to pay a monthly subscription fee to continue using the service. Apple has not yet revealed how much it plans to charge for this feature once the free service period gets over.

Apple’s Emergency SOS via Satellite Feature On iPhone 14 Series Expanding To Six More Countries Later This Month

Viraj Gawde — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 11:58:27 +0000

Apple introduced Emergency SOS satellite connectivity on the current-generation iPhone 14 series last year. Currently, the feature works in six countries including the US, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK. The Cupertino-based tech giant officially announced yesterday that the service is expanding to six more countries.

Apple’s Emergency SOS via Satellite feature on the iPhone 14 series allows users of the device to send emergency message alerts in remote places where there is no cellular or WiFi coverage without any special hardware. It’s worth noting that the feature only works outside in open spaces with a clear sight of the sky and without any obstructions like trees, buildings etc. The groundbreaking feature is coming to Austria, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, and Portugal later this month. This will make the Emergency SOS feature on the iPhone 14 series operational in 12 countries in total.

The iPhone 14 Pro recently bagged GSMA’s Global Mobile Awards in the ‘Disruptive Device Innovation’ category for the Emergency SOS feature. It has been praised numerous times by first responders and rescue teams for saving lives of customers who have been struck in emergency situations.

In other news, Apple also announced a Yellow colour option for the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus. The company followed the tradition of mid-cycle colour updates after the iPhone 12 Purple in 2021 and iPhone 13 / 13 Pro Green last year. Additionally. Apple also announced the release of Apple Pay in South Korea competing against Samsung Pay.