iPhone 14 Satellite SOS

Apparently the new iPhones are capable of sending satellite SOS messages. Great for ocean safety. For those who drop their existing phone into the ocean or if you just need an excuse to upgrade…

https://www.reuters.com/technology/new-iphones-have-qualcomm-satellite-modem-new-apple-radio-chips-2022-09-17/

Apparently the new iPhones are capable of sending satellite SOS messages. Great for ocean safety. For those who drop their existing phone into the ocean or if you just need an excuse to upgrade…

https://www.reuters.com/technology/new-iphones-have-qualcomm-satellite-modem-new-apple-radio-chips-2022-09-17/

After seeing this, I might "accidentally" drop by current iPhone overboard...

Seems like this company is now selling fear…

Seems like this company is now selling fear…

How so? Seems like a useful feature to me.

“iPhone 14 includes custom radio frequency components, and new software designed entirely by Apple, that together enable Emergency SOS via satellite on new iPhone 14 models,"  well yeah.. everything is proprietary so i would expect it all the be "custom" and "designed by apple" even though its still contracted out.  Doesnt solve the homing issue though which requires constant transmission on of 406 MHz , and 121.5 MHz.  gets them close but not super close.

any radio with a distress option is already more effective than this new feature.

any radio with a distress option is already more effective than this new feature.

When it comes to safety on the ocean, two is one and one is none....

any radio with a distress option is already more effective than this new feature.

When it comes to safety on the ocean, two is one and one is none....

absolutely. I would just hate for someone to see this as a good replacement for proper safety equipment

Seems like this company is now selling fear…

How so? Seems like a useful feature to me.

A bit of an inside joke for OP but I really do think it's useful and will get better with future iterations

any radio with a distress option is already more effective than this new feature.

There's a difference between VHF (line of sight) radio and satellite (not line of sight)...

any radio with a distress option is already more effective than this new feature.

There's a difference between VHF (line of sight) radio and satellite (not line of sight)...

correct. The VHF will broadcast and repeat from all DSC radios in range and contact CG Directly whereas a GPS SOS will have to be routed properly first for a capable rescue party to come.

Damn life gets complicated! Now you even have to choose how you send out a distress signal?

I thought if you drop a 13 they give you a 13, not upgrade to next generation? Im paying for complete insurance in case I drop it out at sewers or wherever Don’t imagine that Where’s my iPhone works underwater

Also I have mine mainly for the camera and the new ones are claiming bigtime upgrade But that’s their MO with every new phone

Damn life gets complicated! Now you even have to choose how you send out a distress signal?

I thought if you drop a 13 they give you a 13, not upgrade to next generation? Im paying for complete insurance in case I drop it out at sewers or wherever Don’t imagine that Where’s my iPhone works underwater

Also I have mine mainly for the camera and the new ones are claiming bigtime upgrade But that’s their MO with every new phone

I've read that 13 has the satellite hardware, just not enabled. Perhaps once they sell enough 14s, they'd consider enabling for 13.

I don’t know how the SOS feature on the iPhone14 would work, but I’d imagine that periodically (say every 10 seconds) a short transmission from the phone to the satellite would contain the GPS coordinates of the user..
This would allow S&R to find the user.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple would also add a VHF capability to their phones so that users can talk to S&R once in range. It would be handy also when camping