In typical fashion when a new edition of the iPhone is released, Apple makes an announcement highlighting all the cool new features and updates that their latest will come with.
Their latest, the iPhone 15, will have a feature allowing users to have AAA roadside assistance anywhere, regardless of whether they have cell service.
Updating Old Technology.
An SOS satellite feature previously launched with the iPhone 14 allowed users to contact emergency services in areas without cellular service.
While some thought this was an intriguing idea, many did not see it as practical for everyday users, with its most apparent application being the reassurance that no Apple consumer will get lost on a wilderness excursion.
But that was the iPhone 14, and the recently unveiled iPhone 15 offers an ingenious addition to the 14’s SOS satellite feature – AAA roadside assistance.
Apple has partnered with AAA to give iPhone 15 customers free access to their roadside assistance service for two years, as well as being able to contact them when there’s no phone service. AAA can pinpoint the user’s location using Apple’s SOS satellite feature. All iPhone 15 owners have to do is text a number for “roadside assistance” and then specify what they require help with.
They will even be presented with prompts such as “No fuel or charge,” “Locked out,” and “Flat tire” that they can text via satellite to AAA’s dispatch to specify what vehicular issues they’re facing.
Apple has yet to announce if the iPhone 14 will receive updates to add AAA’s services to its features.
Apple’s Other Vehicle Assistance Feature.
The iPhone 14 and Apple’s Series 8 watch have a feature to determine if their users were in car accidents. Both devices use their GPS functions with accelerometers to determine if there’s a possibility their owners have been in a car crash and automatically contact first responders unless users specify not to.
However, new technologies often experience hiccups, and Apple’s car crash detection was no exception.
There were instances of first responders being alerted to car accidents when iPhone 14 and Apple Watch users were riding rollercoasters. Additionally, there were reports of a YouTuber intentionally crashing their vehicle to test the effectiveness of the iPhone’s accident detection.
Apple has reportedly made tweaks to the accident detection function for the iPhone 15. However, it remains to be seen what exactly Apple can do to prevent poor human judgment through software updates. Will a text asking a YouTuber not to intentionally crash their car actually stop them from doing so?
The iPhone 15 is scheduled to come out on September 22, with preorders kicked off on September 15.
