Apple's Emergency SOS via Satellite feature is now available in 17 countries.
Apple first rolled out the Emergency SOS via Satellite feature in November 2022 in select regions
Photo Credit: Apple
Apple rolled out the iOS 17.6 update for eligible iPhone models on Monday. The company previewed its upcoming iOS 18 update at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024 on June 10, and the latest iOS 17 update does not add any groundbreaking new features to the iPhone. However, one key feature which could potentially save the user's life in dire situations — Emergency SOS via Satellite — has been expanded to one more country.
The company says that eligible iPhone users in Japan can now access the Emergency SOS via Satellite feature after updating to iOS 17.6. With the latest update, they can contact emergency services using satellite-based communication even at locations with no cellular network or Wi-Fi connectivity.
This feature was first introduced in November 2022 in the US and Canada. In subsequent months, it was expanded to a few other regions. At the time Apple announced that Emergency SOS via Satellite would be offered free of charge to users for a period of two years. However, the iPhone maker extended the period for one more year, making it free to use at least until 2025.
Apple says the Emergency SOS via Satellite feature is now available in the following regions: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US. It is only compatible with iPhone 14 and later models.
In addition to the expansion of the satellite-based communication feature, the iOS 17.6 update also brings bug fixes for known issues. As per Apple's release notes, it resolves problems related to the AVFoundation Capture subsystem and MarketplaceKit – options which are only accessible by developers.
iOS 17.6 Update is Now Available for Download on iPhone
While Gadgets 360 staff members were able to verify the update's arrival on iPhone, the Emergency SOS via Satellite feature is not available in India.
Alongside iOS 17.6, Apple rolled out iPadOS 17.6, tvOS 17.6, watchOS 10.6, and visionOS 1.3 updates for its devices. It also introduced the iOS 18.1 Developer Beta 1 update parallelly, bringing features powered by Apple Intelligence – its suite of artificial intelligence (AI) services – to the iPhone.
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