Apple has activated Emergency SOS via satellite in Mexico, giving iPhone and Apple Watch users the ability to contact emergency services even without mobile or Wi-Fi coverage.
The feature — available on iPhone 14 and later, including the iPhone 17 range and iPhone Air, as well as the Apple Watch Ultra 3 — lets users send text messages to emergency responders and notify their emergency contacts via a direct satellite link. It arrives alongside the already-available Satellite Messages and Satellite Find services in the country.
Officials say the rollout could have a significant impact in Mexico’s more remote regions.
“In a country as geographically diverse as Mexico, there are remote areas where traditional mobile coverage may be limited,” said the head of the National Information Center. “Emergency SOS via satellite offers a new and powerful way for people to contact public emergency services when other methods are unavailable.”
If a user is out of coverage, the device guides them through an on-screen questionnaire based on standard first-responder protocols, helping them quickly share key details about the emergency. The iPhone or Apple Watch then directs the user where to point in the sky to establish a satellite link. The first message sent includes the questionnaire answers, location, altitude, battery level and, if enabled, Medical ID information.
The feature is already available across much of the world, including Australia, the US, the UK, Japan, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and New Zealand.
