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If you have a car breakdown and are in an area with no network coverage, Apple Roadside Assistance could be of assistance to you
Apple Roadside Assistance – what the feature offers
Apple Roadside Assistance is a satellite-based emergency SOS feature available on iPhone 14 and later.
- Apple Roadside Assistance allows you to request roadside assistance via satellite when you are out of range of cellular and Wi-Fi networks.
- American Automobile Association (AAA) service is ideal for situations that are urgent but not immediately life-threatening, such as accidental vehicle lockout, power/gasoline shortage, or a flat tyre.
- At present, the feature is only available in the US and requires at least iPhone 14 and iOS version 17.
Apple Roadside Assistance – Disadvantages
The purchase and activation of a new iPhone 14 or iPhone 15 model includes free access to the service for two years.
- After the two free years, you will need a membership to AAA.
- Non-members, however, may continue to receive roadside assistance for a fee.
- The satellite function requires a clear view of the sky and so may not work in a densely wooded forest or in the depths of a car park.
- In addition, AAA notes that you must be near a road to receive service. There is also roadside assistance only for four-wheeled, motor-driven cars and trucks.
- Satellite roadside assistance is not yet available in the US Virgin Islands.
- iPhone models purchased in Armenia, Belarus, China (Mainland), Hong Kong, Macau, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia do not have satellite connectivity.