Apple’s new iPhone 14 has a new SOS feature that will take over a satellite network in case of an emergency. The feature, which is available on the latest model of the iPhone, will allow people to contact emergency services without having to use their phone’s battery. The SOS feature was first introduced on the Apple Watch and has since been added to other Apple products. The feature allows people to send messages and make calls without having to worry about their phone’s battery running out. The new iPhone 14 comes with a new chip that is able to take over a satellite network in case of an emergency. This means that people can contact emergency services without having to worry about their phone’s battery running out. The SOS feature is especially useful for people who are travelling or who live in areas where there is no access to a reliable network. The new iPhone 14 also comes with other features that make it more convenient for people to use, such as Face ID and AirPods 2. ..
Apple has selected Globalstar Inc as its partner for the emergency SOS feature, which already operates a network of satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), like SpaceX’s Starlink internet service. Globalstar says it has 24 ground stations, providing communications to over 120 countries and over 80% of the Earth’s surface. Apple is providing $450 million to Globalstar for network upgrades.
Perhaps the most interesting detail is that Globalstar is setting aside most of its network exclusively for iPhone communications. A new Form 8-K filing with the SEC revealed that Globestar will “allocate 85% of its current and future network capacity” just for Apple, in exchange for the investments.
Apple isn’t the only one rushing for satellite connectivity in phones, either. T-Mobile and SpaceX are working on a similar feature for emergency communications, but without the specialized hardware and antennas in the iPhone 14 — T-Mobile claims it will work with select existing phones. However, the upgrade does require new Starlink satellites, which have not been launched yet.
All iPhone 14 models will ship with two years of SOS connectivity, once the service becomes available in late 2022. Apple still hasn’t said how much the service will cost after that point.
Source: SEC, Reuters
