Apple has made a significant change to its Emergency SOS via satellite feature for the iPhone 14. The company originally announced that this feature would be free for two years after activating a new iPhone 14. Now, Apple says that it will extend this free period to two years for all iPhone 14 users, regardless of when they activate their device.
This is a notable change for the Emergency SOS via satellite feature, which is one of the headlining features of the iPhone 14. It allows users to send emergency messages when they are outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. The feature is powered by a combination of custom-designed components and software, and it’s integrated directly into the Messages app and with the Find My app.
Apple had originally said that the Emergency SOS via satellite feature would be free for the first two years after activating a new iPhone 14. After that, the company suggested that there might be a charge associated with the service, but it did not detail what that charge would be.
Now, Apple is extending the free period for this feature to two years for all iPhone 14 users, regardless of when they activate their device. This means that if you buy an iPhone 14 in 2024, for example, you’ll still get two years of the Emergency SOS via satellite feature for free.
The Emergency SOS via satellite feature is currently available in the United States and Canada, and it’s coming to France, Germany, Ireland, and the United Kingdom in December. Apple says that it is working to bring the feature to additional countries and regions.
This article provides an update on Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite feature for the iPhone 14, extending the free period to two years for all users, regardless of their activation date. The feature, which allows sending emergency messages without cellular or Wi-Fi coverage, is currently available in the US and Canada and is expected to expand to other countries soon.