Game changer! iPhone 14 Emergency SOS via Satellite saves 2 women in wilderness

If you're an avid hiker, mountaineer or rock climber, then you’re accustomed to putting yourself in risky situations in areas where there is not a soul in sight. In situations of need, it is nearly impossible to contact anyone for help in case of a mishap. This is where Apple’s Emergency SOS via Satellite feature comes in. In fact, the iPhone 14 Emergency SOS via Satellite feature has once again saved the day by saving the lives of two women.

According to Canadian newspaper Times Colonist, Apple’s Emergency SOS via Satellite feature saved the lives of two women who were left stranded after being shown the wrong route by Google Maps. The women were on their way back from Alberta only to find the main highway closed due to an accident. They took the help of Google Maps to check for alternative routes when it guided them to take the Holmes Forest Service Road.

However, this road was only partially ploughed after a severe snowstorm and were left at a dead end after driving for 20 kilometers in the McBride wilderness located in the Robson Valley region. Coincidentally, the cell service also dropped, forcing one of them to activate the Emergency SOS via Satellite feature on their iPhone 14. They got in touch with the Apple Help Center which called the emergency services to their location via GPS.

Dwight Yochim, a senior manager with BC Search and Rescue, the team that rescued the women called this feature a "game changer".

This is not the first time this feature has saved lives. In December, the Emergency SOS via Satellite feature saved the life of a man who was stranded in Alaska.

How does Emergency Satellite via SOS work?

This feature allows you to send SOS messages directly via satellite even if there is no cell reception. It works with the help of deep software integration with your iPhone antenna to connect directly to a satellite, enabling messaging with emergency services when outside of cellular or Wi-Fi coverage. 

Therefore, your iPhone 14 could save your life one day, thanks to the Emergency SOS via Satellite feature.