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Emergency SOS via satellite

apple.com

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Re: Emergency SOS via satellite

#111

Post by 310260 »

WhyNotHugo wrote: post #26
Centrino wrote: post #5

The article doesn't mention which satellites or which satellite provider is used. But Apple invested $450 million in Globalstar. https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2022/11/emergency-sos-via-sat...

I was really wondering what kind of satellite-based emergency SOS they were using -- mostly because I'd never heard of it until it was being shipped in a commercial product, which is something very rare to see. So basically, they have their own infrastructure for their own proprietary 911 service with global coverage? It's really amazing that we live in a world where we can have such infrastructure, but at the same t…

>It's really amazing that we live in a world where we can have such infrastructure, but at the same time, it's owned and controlled by a single corporation.

I get this sentiment. Globalstar does have competitors at least. Iridium and Inmarsat offer comparable services though not as seamlessly integrated into a popular consumer device.

I do wonder what happens if you aren't paying for the service but have an emergency. I guess they just don't connect you at all? Is there an automatic charge for accessing it?

Re: Emergency SOS via satellite

#112

Post by rtkwe »

WhyNotHugo wrote: post #26
Centrino wrote: post #5

The article doesn't mention which satellites or which satellite provider is used. But Apple invested $450 million in Globalstar. https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2022/11/emergency-sos-via-sat...

I was really wondering what kind of satellite-based emergency SOS they were using -- mostly because I'd never heard of it until it was being shipped in a commercial product, which is something very rare to see. So basically, they have their own infrastructure for their own proprietary 911 service with global coverage? It's really amazing that we live in a world where we can have such infrastructure, but at the same t…

GPS has always been available to get location information even offline. What you usually don't get at the user end is a map of where you are because maps apps don't cache or download automatically. I've installed OSMAnd+ and downloaded a lot of maps to avoid that and I wish Google Maps or Apple Maps made it easier to download a large swath like you can with OSM. (you can even download POI to still be able to do some searching for places if you don't have an actual address)

As for infrastructure I think Verizon is doing something similar with Starlink and there are multiple possible satellite constellations that could be connected too Apple is just the first to include what I think has to be a new radio or radio component.

Re: Emergency SOS via satellite

#113

Post by Nursie »

angrygoat wrote: post #105
robg wrote: post #82

Really impressed how Apple is leaning into unregulated “safety” features. Fall detection for grandma, crash detection for drivers, now this for adventurers. When you’re doing as well as Apple is, small reasons for consumers to buy keep adding up over the competition.

If this becomes available in Australia, it would be a decent reason for me to upgrade my phone. I quite like bushwalking, and I quite like the idea of more adventurous walks – and knowing I can text for help would be a real plus.

Yep, extend it to Aus and I have a reason to upgrade from my 12 pro!

Re: Emergency SOS via satellite

#114

Post by nickcw »

yieldcrv wrote: post #18
xchip wrote: post #14

What sort of link does the phone use? 5G?

yeah band 53 via the Qualcomm X65 modem you can pretty much tell what an iphone will be able to do based on what qualcomm is currently able to do

> LTE Band 53 is a part of the TDD (Time Division Duplex) LTE spectrum that requires only a single frequency band for both the uplink and downlink. LTE Band 53 has a frequency range from 2483.5 - 2495 MHz with a bandwidth of 11.5 MHz.

From: https://www.everythingrf.com/tech-resources/lte-bands/lte-ba...

Quite impressive they can receive that on the satellite with 1W (guess) of power and a not very directional antenna in the iPhone.

Re: Emergency SOS via satellite

#115

Post by piperswe »

mrtksn wrote: post #74
papito wrote: post #9

This is great, but people do still need to keep in mind that this is not a full replacement of the emergency beacons that use the Cospas-Sarsat system, which would work anywhere, from pole to pole. If you are going to do extreme hiking in Patagonia, get a real distress beacon. There is no service charge except for the device itself. This is no joke - I had to use mine in the middle of Death Valley (of all places) dur…

Just like with Apple Watch Ultra, Its for people with serious hobbies but not professionals or those on the extreme end. I think they have a name for that market segment.

In computer hardware, that market segment is typically called "prosumer"

Re: Emergency SOS via satellite

#116

Post by sneak »

nickcw wrote: post #100

From the small print > The service will be included for free for two years starting at the time of activation of a new iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Which kind of implies it will be a pay for service after two years.

The product announcement for the iPhone 14 said nothing about any sort of recurring subscription costs for such a service.

Re: Emergency SOS via satellite

#117

Post by brookst »

nickcw wrote: post #100

From the small print > The service will be included for free for two years starting at the time of activation of a new iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Which kind of implies it will be a pay for service after two years.

Maybe?

If I were the product manager there, I would fight tooth and nail to only make a short term commitment to support it at all. Two years in, if it's un unmitigated disaster costing $1B/year and generating zero rescues and zero PR, kill it. You can't do that if you've promised "free for the life of the phone" or something.

Re: Emergency SOS via satellite

#118

Post by kotaKat »

binarymax wrote: post #89

It's not clear whether this is for US/Canada customers, or if it only works in the vicinity of the US and Canada. If I'm a US customer but am stranded in the middle of Africa, will this work?

Works in the specific countries. If you have an iPhone 14 from another country that isn't supported, it'll work in that country.

If you have an African iPhone 14 and are stranded in the middle of the US, it should work.

Re: Emergency SOS via satellite

#119

Post by 310260 »

addaon wrote: post #110
kotaKat wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's basically running on the same system as their current SPOT trackers in the S- and L-band. L-band up, S-band down.

Are you sure about that? I was under the impression that this was running on N53, which is towards the bottom of S band, both directions.

It's suppose to be on Globalstar's existing network which would be S-band and L-band but CDMA. It's not 5G-NR just yet though that's likely where they're headed.

I think Apple added n53 as part of this deal at Globalstar's request. Globalstar is trying to lease their spectrum terrestrially for small cell networks and network capacity solutions for the carriers.

https://www.globalstar.com/Globalstar/media/Globalstar/Downl... (PDF warning) Here's a presentation with some details.

Re: Emergency SOS via satellite

#120

Post by jmbwell »

Set backcountry search and rescue aside for a second.

Seems to me this is for ordinary people doing ordinary things outside cell range, and finding they need help. A family member has a heart attack. A collision with a moose. Who knows what.

Less “should’ve brought water and a jacket” and more “we’ve been on route 9 for two hours, a moment ago everything was fine, now he’s not breathing, we have no bars, and we have no idea where the nearest hospital is.”

Besides, even if this feature only saves a single life, seems worth it to me.

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