In 2022, Apple added Emergency SOS to its iPhones. The iPhones can connect to Satellites to get emergency SOS messages to emergency services. For many of us, this sounded like a cool feature, but not one we would use. While on holiday in the Scottish Highlands, I realised how sporadic and unreliable the mobile network is, having the ability to send an emergency SOS via my phone, provided reassurance while we explored the highlands.

During the time I was away, four women found themselves stranded in a wildfire within British Columbia, Canada. They used the emergency SOS functionality to alert emergency services with their exact location enabling them to be rescued quickly. 

Our mobile phones and smart watches continue to add features that can save our lives.