This New iPhone Safety Feature Is Essential for Travelers
It's great for an emergency.
One of the riskiest things about venturing far out on your own is that you won't be able to communicate with people once you're out of the range of cell towers. Taking a cue from the satellite phone in Jurassic Park, Apple has added an essential feature to its newest phones. The new phone lineup will be equipped with Emergency SOS via satellite.
"The iPhone 14 lineup also introduces Emergency SOS via satellite, which combines custom components deeply integrated with software to allow antennas to connect directly to a satellite, enabling messaging with emergency services when outside of cellular or Wi-Fi coverage," a press release from Apple states.
The iPhone will prompt users to answer a few simple questions about the emergency and show them where to point their phone toward the satellite. Then, trained Apple staffers will call for help for the person.
"This breakthrough technology also allows users to manually share their location over satellite with Find My when there is no cellular or Wi-Fi connection, providing a sense of security when hiking or camping off the grid," the release continues. "Emergency SOS via satellite will be available to users in the US and Canada in November, and the service will be free for two years."
The new Emergency SOS feature is one of a dozen new updates, including a higher resolution camera, an updated display design, and more powerful tech powering the phone.
Opheli Garcia Lawler is a Staff Writer on the News team at Thrillist. Follow her on Twitter @opheligarcia and Instagram @opheligarcia.