iPhone users are using satellites to reach their family during Hurricane Helene

BY ANDREW UTTERBACK / Multimedia Journalist

iPhone users nationwide are using a new iOS 18 feature to send texts when cell towers are down. 

The feature allows users of iPhone 14 and newer models running iOS 18 to use a satellite when cell towers are unavailable, or, in the case of hurricane Helene, destroyed. 

Using the feature is fairly straightforward. Users are prompted by a popdown screen to point their phones towards the sky and then guided by prompts to move left or right for optimal signal. 

Standard RCS/SMS text messages use traditional cell towers to send and iMessage (Apple’s proprietary messaging service) uses the internet. In situations when both of these services are down or unavailable, users can now use satellites for connectivity. 

Photographer Matt Van Swol posted about the feature and included a screen recording of the satellite connection in action. 

“I’ve never been more thankful to be an iPhone user. Due to the lack of cell service, EVERYONE in Asheville NC right now on iOS 18 has been able to get messages out and in with the Satellite messaging feature,” Van Swol said on X. 

That post has almost 9 million views at the time of writing and the comments are filled with several responses from other, hurricane affected, people saying the same thing. 

An X user by the name of Moth used the feature to message his family. 

“Yes. I was able to send out texts for my family when we couldn't get out because all exits were blocked by trees and power lines,” Moth said on X. 

Mike Monti also was able to reach out to loved ones.

“I used it to contact my family in GA and let them know we were alright. It’s so awesome,” Monti said on X.

Another user who goes by “blu” posted on X that he has used the feature when his family has to split up. 

“This hurricane hit HARD but satellite has been life changing especially when my family needs to split up to find gas,” blu said. 

The Google Pixel 9 series was announced this year with the same type of feature, allowing its users to contact emergency services and send location, but not yet texts. The Pixel 9 is the first Android phone to have this feature. 

Satellite messaging is a feature that will likely be seen on many other smartphones in the coming years, as Hurricane Helene proves its importance.

Messages via satellite on iPhone are currently only available in the US and Canada.