It was only a matter of time before a story detailing the successful use of the iPhone 14’s Emergency SOS via Satellite to save someone after the feature launched last month. And now we have it.
On Dec. 1, in the early morning hours, Alaska State Troopers received an alert that a stranded snowmobiler needed help. The rider had used his iPhone 14 to connect to Apple’s Emergency Response Center to ask for help.
Also: How to use iPhone 14’s emergency SOS satellite text feature
That prompted a search crew to be dispatched to the GPS coordinates his phone had transmitted, where he was then successfully located. The Alaska Department of Public Safety posted a summary of the incident on its website.
Emergency SOS via Satellite is built into all iPhone 14 models and is currently free to use. You activate it by calling for help in an area with no cellular or Wi-Fi signal. The phone then walks you through how to connect to the nearest satellite and asks a series of questions.
I recently covered how to test the feature before you need it using a built-in demo mode. It’s really easy and intuitive to use, making the entire experience feel like you’re using the Messages app to send a text or iMessage.
I also recorded a video (see below) demonstrating how to test the feature, if that’s more your speed.