Apple iPhone 13 'To Allow Users' Make Emergency Calls In No-Network Zones. Check Details

Apple aims to bring satellite capabilities to the iPhone users focused on emergency situations allowing them to send texts to first responders in areas in absence of network coverage.

Apple Store | File Image

New Delhi: Apple fans may soon get an edge over other users as the Cupertino technology giant aims to allow iPhone to connect to satellites so users can contact emergency services in areas that don’t have network coverage, according to a Bloomberg report. 

The rumours that iPhone 13 will have satellite capabilities gained steam after TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the phone will probably work with spectrum owned by Globalstar Inc.

What Are iPhone Satellite Features?

The company aims to bring satellite capabilities to the iPhone users focused on emergency situations allowing them to send texts to first responders and report crashes in areas in absence of network coverage.

The company is working on related emergency features that will depend on satellite networks and the feature will be added in future iPhones, according to sources of the agency.

In the beginning, the feature is likely to be available in the US only. 

READ: iPhone 13 Launch: New Models Tipped for Sep 14 Launch, Pre-Orders Likely to Begin From Sep 17

The technology firm has been working on satellite technology, and exploring the concept since at least 2017.  However, the feature will be initially limited in scope, and only focused on helping customers handle crisis scenarios.

Even as the next iPhone may have the hardware capability for satellite communications, the features are unlikely to be ready before next year, as per the report. The report also cautioned that these features could also change or be scrapped before being released.

That feature will be integrated into the Messages app as a third protocol — alongside the standard SMS and iMessage — and appear with gray message bubbles instead of green or blue.

The second feature will be a tool to report major emergencies, such as plane crashes and sinking ships, also using satellite networks.

How Will The Feature Work?

It's still not clear which emergency services or providers the system would collaborate with. The set of features would compete with the rival Garmin in Reach device that allows users to send short messages or an SOS over satellite networks, as per the report.

Both features are going to be dependent on satellite availability and local regulations. They’re not designed to work in every country, and Apple has created a mechanism that will ask users to be outdoors and walk in a certain direction to help the iPhone connect to a satellite, as per the report.

Linking to a network also won’t always be instantaneous, with testing of the feature indicating that it could sometimes take up to one minute to work.