Apple releases the iPhone 14 with satellite connectivity in Australia and New Zealand

(Image credit- Hindustan Times) Customers in Australia and New Zealand can now access Apple's Emergency SOS via satellite on all iPhone 14 models today. Users can use this function to contact emergency services when cellular and WiFi coverage is not available. The satellite connectivity features of the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max are now accessible in Australia and New Zealand, according to a recent announcement from Apple. Every iPhone 14 model may connect directly to the satellite with a mix of specially built hardware parts and associated software, the firm announced on its website. The launch of the ground-breaking safety feature, which allows Australians and New Zealanders to contact Triple Zero with Emergency SOS via satellite when there is no mobile coverage to keep them connected in an emergency, has been welcomed by the Albanian government, according to the Minister of Communications Hon. Michelle Rowland MP. "This will go a long way toward assisting emergency services in responding to, defending, and ultimately maintaining the safety of persons. Rowland continued, "Australians are encouraged to get familiar with this capability and whether their device supports it, especially given that citizens fully understand the need of being connected in regional, rural, and remote locations when necessary.

Availability

Over the past few months, the feature has been introduced in various countries. The capabilities are now accessible in 12 other nations in addition to the two stated above, according to the reports, including the United States, United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Portugal. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] Image credit- TECHTELEGRAPH[/caption] Currently, Apple is giving away satellite connectivity features for free for two years, starting from the moment the device is activated once the service became accessible in a certain area. However, the business has not made any announcements on its plans to charge for the service after the initial two-year free trial.

What Will Happen?

When an iPhone 14 device loses its cellular and WiFi connections, satellite connectivity features automatically connect. When placing an emergency call in these circumstances, the device will provide the option to use satellite connectivity instead. iOS will instruct the user to point their phone in a particular direction at an overhead satellite. Also read: Twitter Opens Blue Subscription to Japanese Users Users will need to update their emergency contacts when the device is active as it uses those contacts in case of an emergency, according to Gizmodo Australia. For instance, paramedics will respond immediately by contacting their emergency contacts. For devices running iOS 16.4 or later upgrades, Emergency SOS via satellite and Find My via satellite are required.