TechPhonesiPhonesEmergency SOS via Satellite on iPhone 14 is free for two years – but then what?Could Apple really charge people for their new life saving feature?When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
TechPhonesiPhonesEmergency SOS via Satellite on iPhone 14 is free for two years – but then what?Could Apple really charge people for their new life saving feature?When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Could Apple really charge people for their new life saving feature?
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Apple)
(Image credit: Apple)
Last month,Applelaunched the revolutionaryEmergency SOS via Satellitetechnology in North America. Earlier this week, the same technology was brought to market in theUK and Europe.
It’s alreadysaved a lifein Alaska, when a man became stranded in snowy conditions and used the feature to seek assistance. And, on the whole, people have been praising the technology for doing something genuinely brilliant.
But there is an elephant in the room.
In all of Apple’s marketing for the feature, the fine print reads, “The service is free for two years starting at the time of activation of a newiPhone 14,iPhone 14 Plus,iPhone 14 Pro, andiPhone 14 Pro Max.”
Which begs the question: what happensafterthe two year free period? On the face of it, the answer seems obvious – Apple will make you pay for it. But I don’t think that’s a good idea.
Charge for a service that has the power to save lives and you risk an insane amount of negative PR. I can just imagine headlines like, “Person DIES after Apple hides life saving feature behind a paywall.”
Of course, given the wording of that disclaimer, it looks likely that Applewilladopt a paywall of some kind, so how might that work? Some have suggested it could form part of the Apple One subscription. That seems like a good idea to me. Users would get the benefit of multiple features, which would lessen the perceived cost of each individually.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
Others have suggested that it may take on a pay-as-you-go style approach. This would mean users would only be charged when they required the service. I can see the logic in this approach too. It removes the barrier to entry entirely, mitigating the potential for any of the aforementioned negative PR. However, I can’t imagine a pay-per-use model would be cheap, and users could end up choosing not to use the service because they can’t afford it.
But really, the best thing to do would be to keep it free. Sure, it might not make perfect sense from a business perspective, but I think it could be worth it for the positive brand image. Already, we’ve seen a handful of accounts of the service saving people who were stranded in awful conditions. Each new story is like a free advert for theiPhone14 range.
Not only that, the feature itself is a massive selling point. If you can’t decide between two phones, you’re going to pick the one that could save your life – particularly if it can do so for free!
Let’s hope that Apple take notice of the demands of their consumers and keep this technology free for everyone.
Today’s best Apple iPhone 14 deals$17.50View$629View$629ViewShow More DealsWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Apple iPhone 14 deals$17.50View$629View$629ViewShow More DealsWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Apple iPhone 14 deals
$17.50View$629View$629View
$17.50View
$17.50View
$17.50View
$17.50
$17.50
$629View
$629View
$629View
$629
$629
$629View
$629View
$629View
$629
$629
Show More Deals
Show More Deals
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
TOPICSappleiphone
TOPICS
If you ever needed proof that cassette players are back, this is itWe Are Rewind has made a portable tape deck so retro it should appear from nowhere in a DeLorean
We Are Rewind has made a portable tape deck so retro it should appear from nowhere in a DeLorean
PS5 could finally be getting Gears of War and Halo after game-changing decisionThe age of exclusives is coming to an end
The age of exclusives is coming to an end
Apple’s affordable iPad set for major speed boost and Apple IntelligenceIt’s exciting times ahead for the entry-level tablet
It’s exciting times ahead for the entry-level tablet
Apple already sells a device thinner than the rumoured iPhone 17 AirThe slimming world of Apple
The slimming world of Apple
Apple MacBook Pro set for its biggest upgrade in many yearsIt’s great news for Apple fans
It’s great news for Apple fans
YouTube is getting a killer security upgrade for iPhone usersIt puts extra protections on your privacy
It puts extra protections on your privacy
Apple promises to fix Apple Intelligence feature that’s causing concernA big update could be coming to Apple Intelligence
A big update could be coming to Apple Intelligence
Apple iPhone could get a major camera boost… thanks to SamsungYou’ll just have to wait a while for it to arrive
You’ll just have to wait a while for it to arrive
If the iPhone 17 Pro looks like this, I’ll eat my hat!Surely this is highly unlikely?
Surely this is highly unlikely?
The next iPhone SE could be in for its biggest change yetBut will it simplify or confuse things?
But will it simplify or confuse things?
