Updated Oct. 12 with more details of the offer and where Emergency SOS via satellite is available.
Apple introduced Emergency SOS via satellite on the iPhone in 2022. At the time, it was revolutionary, though other services, such as T-Mobile’s T-Satellite, have added to the range of options. Now, Apple has announced the latest expansion to this option. And it’s worth remembering that Apple, which has never charged for this service, recently announced that the earliest users, iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 users, have now been granted an extra year of free access.
Later this year, for users in Mexico, Apple will add Emergency SOS via satellite to its services. Right now, Find My via satellite and Messages via satellite are available in the country, but not Emergency SOS.
This will mean that all iPhone users with iPhone 14 and later, right up to the newly-released iPhone 17 series and iPhone Air, will have access to this service, for free. The same will also apply to users with Apple Watch Ultra 3.
Apple gave a statement to 9to5Mac, saying: “Emergency SOS via satellite on iPhone and Apple Watch Ultra allows users to text emergency services and notify emergency contacts even when they do not have cellular or Wi-Fi coverage.”
“Since it launched with iPhone 14 in 2022, it has contributed to many lives saved. We’re excited to announce the feature will become available later this year to users in Mexico with iPhone 14 or later — including the newly announced iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max — and Apple Watch Ultra 3, building on the existing Messages via satellite and Find My via satellite capabilities for these devices,” it went on.
It works when you’re out of regular cellular or Wi-Fi coverage. To use the service, it’s necessary to point the iPhone or Watch Ultra 3 towards the sky. You need to have direct line of sight for the sky and software on the phone or watch will guide you as to where to point the device. The watch, by the way, can be held at normal wrist height, so you can see the display easily enough.
In contrast, T-Satellite offers connectivity to the satellite even when the phone is in your pocket and it connects to Starlink rather than Apple’s chosen partner, Globalstar.
It’s thought that other carriers are likely to introduce more satellite services, not provided by Globalstar in the near future.
For now, though, there are countries which offer extra services on iPhone. For example, Road Assistance via satellite is available in the U.S., the U.K. and Australia.
Only three countries offer Messages via satellite: Mexico (as mentioned above), the U.S. and Canada.
Then there’s the big list, those countries with Find My available via satellite. This consists of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, the U.K. and the U.S.
Finally, the list of countries with Emergency SOS via satellite is identical to the one above, save for Mexico, which will arrive later in 2025.