Apple brings the ability to send emergency messages via satellite with the latest iPhones to Germany about a month after launch. The function is intended for situations where there is no mobile phone reception or WLAN Internet. Starting Tuesday, the satellite emergency call will also be available in France, Great Britain and Ireland, as Apple announced.

Emergency satellite communications can save lives when people in areas without cell phone coverage are at risk. This used to require special phones with larger antennas. Apple, on the other hand, integrated an internal system for communication with satellites into the conventional case sizes of the iPhone 14.

However, the connection remains a technical challenge. For example, the iPhone must be pointed directly at the satellite and the transmission can take 15 seconds or several minutes. Since the satellites are not visible to the naked eye, users get help aligning the devices with an on-screen graph. Satellites move quickly and have low bandwidth, Apple noted.

For this reason, users must first answer some questions when using the satellite SOS emergency call function. The delivered message includes the answers to the questions, as well as the location, including elevation, the iPhone’s battery status, and Emergency Passport information, if enabled. Conversation and follow-up messages are routed via satellite to operator centers staffed by Apple-trained professionals. They can ask for help on behalf of users. The transcript can also be forwarded to emergency contacts to keep them up to date.

The technology also allows users who are outside the cellular network to send their location to friends or family without an emergency. The connection quality can be tested in a demo mode. The service is initially available free of charge for two years.