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Title: Apple gives iPhone 14 and 15 owners an extra free year of satellite connectivity Post by: HCK on September 11, 2025, 04:05:01 pm Apple gives iPhone 14 and 15 owners an extra free year of satellite connectivity
<p>Tucked away in Apple's <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/everything-apple-revealed-at-the-iphone-17-launch-event-iphone-air-iphone-17-pro-airpods-pro-3-and-more-171028663.html">iPhone 17[/url] 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 <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/apple-extends-free-emergency-sos-satellite-access-for-existing-iphone-14-owners-183256442.html">third extension[/url] since Emergency SOS via satellite <a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/iphone-14-emergency-sos-satellite-connection-183230405.html">launched with the iPhone 14[/url].</p> <p>"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 <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:4;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/09/introducing-iphone-air-a-powerful-new-iphone-with-a-breakthrough-design/">reads[/url]. An Apple support page <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:5;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://support.apple.com/en-us/105097">lists[/url] Armenia, Belarus, China mainland, Hong Kong, Macao, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Russia as unsupported countries.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><p>Apple's off-grid feature set began in 2022 with Emergency SOS via satellite. In iOS 18, it expanded to include <a data-i13n="cpos:6;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/how-messages-via-satellite-will-work-on-ios-18-and-how-much-it-will-cost-130020976.html">Messages via satellite[/url], Find My access and roadside assistance. The features work through a partnership with Globalstar.</p> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2025-09/e0c9d2a0-8db7-11f0-aeba-ebcaf034c14e" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2025-09/e0c9d2a0-8db7-11f0-aeba-ebcaf034c14e" style="height:999px;width:1664px;" alt="An iPhone screen showing the iPhone's satellite options." data-uuid="28edd4aa-f855-3c9d-88d2-3e8a78c79ef5"><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Apple</div></figure> <p>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 <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:7;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/1figttz/comment/lnkt8ue/">posted[/url]. "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.)</p> <p>You can demo the features on your iPhone right now. To test Emergency SOS, head to <strong>Settings > Emergency SOS</strong>, and scroll down to "Try Demo" (at the bottom). For the texting feature, go to <strong>Settings > Apps > Messages</strong>, and scroll down to "Satellite Connection Demo."</p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apple-gives-iphone-14-and-15-owners-an-extra-free-year-of-satellite-connectivity-202434416.html?src=rss Source: Apple gives iPhone 14 and 15 owners an extra free year of satellite connectivity (https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apple-gives-iphone-14-and-15-owners-an-extra-free-year-of-satellite-connectivity-202434416.html?src=rss) |