Perhaps not as exciting to the average consumer as the Dynamic Island appears to be, Apple added satellite connectivity to all four iPhone 14 models. The feature will allow users to send out emergency messages even when they are out of cellular or Wi-Fi range. While this writer is guilty of this too, perhaps we should be more excited about satellite connectivity than how Apple made the notch useful.
To use the new feature, hold your iPhone 14 unit as you would normally hold the device making sure it isn’t in a pocket or backpack. You don’t have to hold it up to the sky. Make sure that you are outdoors with a clear view of the sky and the horizon. Apple wants you to watch out for trees since those with “light foliage” can slow down the signals and those with “dense foliage” can block it completely.
Also capable of blocking satellite signals are hills or mountains, canyons, and tall structures. And if you need to turn left or right, directions on your iPhone’s screen will tell you what to do. Once you’re connected to a satellite, your handset will maintain this connection even if the screen is locked.
Emergency SOS via Satellite will launch in November following an update to iOS 16.
