Apple today announced it’s giving iPhone 14 users one more free year of its satellite-based Emergency SOS features. When the company initially announced the safety service, iPhone 14 customers received two free years. Apple didn’t extend the free period for iPhone 15 users, who have until September 2024 when their two years are up.
Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite lets compatible iPhone users communicate with nearby emergency services when they’re off the grid. Users must point their phone at the satellite and choose from preset messages: what is the emergency, do people require medical help and so on. Apple also shows an orientation app that helps you pinpoint the location of the satellite in case it’s too far away to see.
Apple has yet to reveal how much the feature will cost when the free period ends. However, this extension gives the company more time to decide on pricing.
Last year, the feature became available on all iPhone 14 models in the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Ireland and the U.K. It recently rolled out to Australia and New Zealand, bringing the total number of countries to 16.
Today’s announcement comes two months after Apple launched Roadside Assistance via satellite, which builds on the Emergency SOS via satellite features to connect users to AAA if they’re outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.