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iOS 18’s Messages via Satellite Feature Is Magic - TidBITS

The ability to communicate while outside cellular coverage using Messages via satellite is so useful that Adam Engst recommends everyone with an iPhone 14 or later upgrade to iOS 18 for disaster preparedness—especially if you’re in Hurricane Alley.

The satellite connectivity provided by the last three generations of iPhones should be part of everyone’s disaster preparedness, just as people used to carry cell phones in their cars purely in case of emergency. Plus, while upstate New York isn’t usually plagued by hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and other natural disasters that can disrupt the cell network, it could prove helpful during extreme weather events. Messages via satellite provides essential connectivity that lets you reach out for help or comfort wherever you find yourself, whether you’re hiking in remote areas, traveling through cellular dead zones, or facing a natural disaster that has knocked out local infrastructure.

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