If you’re heading to Japan, this could potentially save your life.
Apple has announced that it has extended its Emergency SOS via satellite feature to Japan through the iOS 17.6 update that was released earlier this week. Japanese customers with an iPhone 14 or an iPhone 15 can use Emergency SOS via satellite to get in touch with emergency services even when a Wi-Fi or cellular connection is unavailable.
The feature was first released in 2022 alongside Apple’s iPhone 14 models, albeit it was initially limited to the United States and Canada. Apple has been working to expand it to additional countries over the past two years since its launch.
Japan has several different emergency contact numbers, and all of them work with Emergency SOS via satellite, including 119 for contacting fire and ambulance services, 110 for contacting the police, and 118 for contacting the coast guard. Satellite connectivity can also be used for updating Find My location when out of range of cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity. The feature works for people living in Japan, as well as visitors to the country.
The feature works through a partnership with Globalstar, and the service is free for two years after activating an iPhone 14 or iPhone 15. Apple has yet to announce the specific price point for the service after the two-year period expires.
The Emergency SOS via satellite feature is currently available in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, the UK, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Portugal, Switzerland, Spain, and the Netherlands.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.