urricane Milton will probably be the second major hurricane that hit the United States in less than a month, indeed, all of the infrastructure is now weakened.
It’s vital to remain in touch with all your friends and family when all the power and cellphone connectivity are out due to natural disasters. So, the access to 911 in every situation can be lifesaving.
The good news is that Apple as well as Google have an emergency feature that connects with emergency services when you don’t have cell connectivity or Wi-Fi. The Apple feature called Emergency SOS via satellite is available on iPhone 14 and newer while the Google one, called Satellite SOS is available on Pixel 9 phones.
We must mention that these two services don’t need any previous setup and it’s enough just to dial 911 from your smartphone to communicate with emergency services about Hurricane Milton or other emergencies via text message through satellite communication.
But that’s not all because Apple launched iOS 18 with a new feature for messages via satellite on newer models of iPhone. This feature is not meant to be used in case of emergencies like the SOS service. The Messages via satellite feature can keep you connected with your friends and family in situations when you don’t have connectivity. This feature is not meant for emergency use but can help during a natural disaster like Hurricane Milton. So, it’s important to keep in mind that to have the iPhone Satellite messages you must have the latest updates on iOS 18.
How to use the Emergency SOS feature on your iPhone:
(Image Credits: Apple)
This feature is available only for iPhone 14 or newer and you can contact emergency service without a Wi-Fi connection or cell service, and also it’s not needed to do some setups in advance. The most important thing is to have a clear view of the sky.
- Start with contacting 911. If this is not available tap the Emergency Text via Satellite to contact emergency services.
- Another alternative is to go on the Messages app and text SOS or 911 and after that tap Emergency Services.
- The Report Emergency will appear and it’s important to follow all the instructions.
The report will include information such as your Medical ID and emergency data like location and the remaining battery life. Also if you have some emergency contacts already set up in your Health App they will be notified automatically.
You should not be worried if they don’t have iMessage from an iPhone with an iOS 16.2 or higher because they will still be notified via a text alert with the most important information such as the location and a transcript from the satellite messages between you and emergency services.
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How to use Satellite SOS messaging on your Pixel 9 phone:
(Image Credits: Google)
From all Pixel 9 devices such as the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro Xl, and Fold it is possible to call 911 via satellite connectivity if you don’t have any connectivity.
- It‘s important to see if Google Messages is the default app for your messages.
- Call 911 and you will see a Satellite SOS option. After that tap Use Satellite SOS and Start.
- Once you do that, an emergency form must be filled out and after that, the option to notify the emergency contacts will be available.
- Make sure that your location is outside in a clear view of the sky, point the phone to the satellite on screen, and wait for a response from emergency services.
How to Use iPhone Satellite Messages feature:
(Image Credits: Apple)
- Make sure that you have the latest update of iOS 18, and see if you have the iMessage turned on.
- After that, in the Messages app, you will see automatically a Satellite notification if you don’t have cellular service. Tap Use Messages via Satellite.
- You must follow all of the instructions to connect and after that, a green dot will appear together with a satellite icon.
- Type the message that you want to send and wait for it because will probably take a few minutes to transmit.
Staying connected during extreme natural disasters such as Hurricane Milton is crucial for everyone’s safety. With these Emergency features available on iPhone and Pixel 9 you can be always in touch with emergency services when conventional methods are not an option. It’s important to always monitor updates from the National Hurricane Center to remain informed about the latest updates on the Hurricane Milton path and also about the evacuation protocols.
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