Off the grid doesn't mean out of luck. Apple's satellite service, which connects directly to an overhead satellite when there is no cellular or Wi-Fi coverage, will continue to be free for at least another year. The feature, a notable selling point for Apple's devices, allows iPhone users to text family and request emergency help when they're out of range.Â
Apple's free satellite connection service was due to be cut off this year for current owners of iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 models, but the timeline has now been extended into 2026. That means if you have a (somewhat) older iPhone, you should still be able to access Emergency SOS, contact roadside assistance, send your location to a contact or communicate via text messages in situations when there is only satellite connectivity.Â
When Apple introduced the satellite feature in 2022, it said the service would be free for two years. In 2024, when the original free window was about to expire, Apple shifted the date to 2025. Now, three years on, the company is pushing that timeline out an additional year for owners of iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 models.
In the press release for the newly released iPhone 17, Apple states that 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 12 a.m. PT on Sept. 9, 2025." In other words, if you buy an older iPhone 14 or 15 now and plan to turn it on after that date, you won't get this extended satellite service.Â
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Emergency satellite features are becoming more of a competitive advantage for companies. One of the new key features of the just-announced Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 is the ability to communicate via satellite, even when a paired iPhone is not nearby or has run out of battery. People who purchase a new iPhone or either Apple smartwatch model this year will get free Emergency SOS satellite service for two years.
I drove 120 miles to find an area not covered by cellular networks.
T-Mobile recently launched its T-Satellite service, which runs on the SpaceX Starlink satellite network. Emergency calling is free, but connecting via text or apps is a paid service, costing $10 a month. T-Mobile customers can add it to an existing plan (it's rolled into the price of the Experience Beyond of Go5G Next plans). Customers of other cellular providers can add T-Satellite as an independent service using a secondary eSIM in their phones.
Apple gets its satellite service from Globalstar, in which it recently invested $1.5 billion to take advantage of Globalstar's satellite network. When I tested T-Satellite earlier this year on my iPhone 16 Pro, I also used Apple's service, which serves as a fallback if another satellite service is active.