Apple’s iPhone 14 satellite communication feature saved the wandering man

Apple OS iOS 16.1 It unveiled an emergency call feature that allows iPhone 14 owners to call emergency services via satellite when they don’t have access to a mobile network or WiFi. Now this practical feature in Alaska has saved a man lost in a rural area.

In the early morning hours of Dec. 1, Alaska State Troopers received a call that a man driving a snowmobile from Norwick to Kotzebue was stranded or lost. The man was in a cold, remote location with no communication, but managed to activate his iPhone 14’s Emergency SOS satellite communication feature and alert authorities of his situation.

Apple’s Emergency Response Center then worked with local search and rescue teams and the Northwest Arctic Area Search and Rescue Coordinator to send volunteer searchers directly to the GPS coordinates sent by the man using the emergency call feature.

The man was successfully rescued and was unharmed. The area he was in was remote and on the outskirts of a place with an available satellite connection. Apple says the feature may not work in locations above 62 degrees latitude, such as northern Canada and Alaska, and Norvik and Kotzebue are close to 69 degrees latitude.

according to Published reports Based on this incident, one of the important points that saved this man’s life was the accuracy and completeness of the information in the initial warning of the emergency call feature through Apple satellite.

This feature is available to all iPhone 14 users and can be activated in emergencies and situations where there is no Wi-Fi or cellular connection available. Use this feature for two years Free and Apple has not yet provided details about its cost in the future.

The satellite connection is currently available in North America and will soon be available in France, Germany, Ireland and the UK.