iPhone 14 gets special iOS update that is of no use to Indians (yet)

iPhone 14 gets the satellite connectivity feature activated as part of its newest update. Check all details.

iPhone 14 Pro Max and other iPhone 14 series devices get satellite connectivity enabled. (Amritanshu / HT Tech)

The iPhone 14 finally gets the feature that distinguishes it from the iPhone 13! Back in September when Apple announced the iPhone 14, many saw it as a mild update to the iPhone 13 with a few bells and whistles. One of those bells and whistles was the satellite connectivity feature that Apple claimed to help in emergency situations. The iPhone 14 has been on sale since then but the feature was kept disabled. Now, Apple has released an update that enabled the satellite connectivity feature.

The satellite connectivity feature is meant to help you get in touch with emergency services and your close relatives in emergency situation. The iPhone 14 will simply latch on to the nearest available satellite and try to send SOS messages to get help as fast as possible. Hence, in the case of an emergency situation where you need medical assistance, or if you are lost, the iPhone 14 will theoretically help you get access to emergency services.

iPhone 14 satellite connectivity: Where is it available?

As of now, the satellite connectivity feature on the iPhone 14 range is available in the US and Canada. Starting next month, owners in France, Germany, Ireland and the UK will also be able to get satellite connectivity on their devices. There's no mention of India on this list and it remains to be seen whether Indians will ever get this feature.

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How does it work?

Apple is using standard satellite connectivity tech to send SOS feature. In the event of an emergency when you summon the service, your iPhone will ask you a set of questions to better help the emergency services reach you as fast as possible. The phone will need 15 seconds to send a message to the satellite because these are compressed by 300 percent and satellite data is low bandwidth.

Other than emergency, you can also share your location via the Find My app on the iOS ecosystem.

Satellite connectivity is available for free for a period of two years, following which users need to pay for it. The feature is available in iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Note that you need the iOS 16.1 update to access it, and models bought from China, Hong Kong and Macao don't support it. Additionally, the feature may not work above 62 degree latitude.