Feed: Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics
Feed Link: https://www.engadget.com/
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Title: Apple gives iPhone 14 and 15 owners an extra free year of satellite
connectivity

Date: Tue, 09 Sep 2025 20:24:34 +0000
Link: https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/a...

Tucked away in Apple's iPhone 17 press releases was a bonus for off-grid
owners of older models. The company gave iPhone 14 and 15 owners free access
to satellite features for another year. This is Apple's third extension since
Emergency SOS via satellite launched with the iPhone 14.

"The free trial will be extended for iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 users who have
activated their device in a country that supports Apple's satellite features
prior to 12AM PT on September 9, 2025," the company's copy reads. An Apple
support page lists Armenia, Belarus, China mainland, Hong Kong, Macao,
Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Russia as unsupported countries.

Apple's off-grid feature set began in 2022 with Emergency SOS via satellite.
In iOS 18, it expanded to include Messages via satellite, Find My access and
roadside assistance. The features work through a partnership with Globalstar.

Apple

As for why Apple keeps extending the free access, a Redditor floated a
logical-sounding theory after last year's announcement. "I can't see Apple
ever charging for [Emergency SOS via satellite]," u/rotates-potatoes posted.
"The positive PR of 'saved by Apple' is too good, and the negative PR of
'died because they didn't pay $3' is too bad." (It's worth noting that the
pricing was speculative. Apple hasn't said how much it plans to charge.)

You can demo the features on your iPhone right now. To test Emergency SOS,
head to Settings > Emergency SOS, and scroll down to "Try Demo" (at the
bottom). For the texting feature, go to Settings > Apps > Messages, and
scroll down to "Satellite Connection Demo."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at
https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/a...
owners-an-extra-free-year-of-satellite-connectivity-202434416.html?src=rss

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