Sos: Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite expands to 6 more countries: What is it, Android competitor and more
According to Apple, the Emergency SOS via satellite feature is now available in Austria, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Portugal. Emergency SOS by satellite and Find My by satellite require iOS 16.4 for users in these new countries.
The service will be included for free for two years starting at the time of activation of a new iPhone 14 model. It was previously already available in Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, the UK and the US.
What is Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite feature
Emergency SOS via satellite enables users to connect with emergency services under “exceptional circumstances”, such as when there is no cellular connectivity or Wi-Fi coverage.
When a user uses a satellite connection, in ideal conditions with a direct view of the sky and the horizon, a message might take 15 seconds to send, and over a minute to send under trees with light or medium foliage.
Apple said that if the feature is being used under heavy foliage or surrounded by other obstructions, users might not be able to connect to a satellite. Connection times is also impacted by surroundings, the length of the message, and the status and availability of the satellite network.
Satellite connectivity coming to Android 14
In September last year, Hiroshi Lockheimer, Google’s senior vice president of platforms and ecosystems said the Android team is now “designing for satellites” and this support is planned for the “next version of Android.”
Google later confirmed this and it has been pretty vocal about it. At the recent Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2023, TT Ramgopal, director of Android partner, engineering, Google, said Google is working to bring the feature in the next iteration of Android OS.
Other companies including Samsung, Qualcomm and MediaTek are also working on the technology to provide satellite connectivity experience.
