Apple’s SOS via Satellite feature saves stranded Alaska man

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Apple’s new Emergency SOS feature has only been out for a couple of weeks, but it’s already been credited with rescuing a stranded Alaska man.

A Daily Dispatch report from the Alaska State Troopers details the use of the Emergency SOS feature after the man became stranded.

Traveling via snowmachine from Noorvik to Kotzebue, he found himself lost and stranded in the Alaska wilderness with no cell service. Thankfully, he had an iPhone 14.

After activating the Emergency SOS via satellite feature on his ‌iPhone 14‌, an alert went out to State Troopers, tracking the man’s location to his GPS coordinates.

Apple’s Emergency Response Team worked with local search and rescue alongside the Northwest Arctic Borough Search and Rescue Coordinator to locate the man.

Volunteers then transported the man to Kotzebue safely by volunteers with no reported injuries.

This is the first instance we’ve heard someone use Apple’s new Emergency SOS via Satellite in a life-threatening situation.

Apple says that it is investing $450 million to build out critical infrastructure for its SOS feature. The company will use that money to build ground stations and other related hardware.

The feature is available on all iPhone 14 models. It is an emergency SOS in areas with no cellular or WiFi connection.

As of right now, the feature is only available in North America. But Apple does plan to expand soon, starting with France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK.

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