Apple Watch Ultra 3: Apple’s Best New Feature Has a Major Flaw You Need to Know

Apple Watch Ultra 3: In a landmark event on September 9th, tech giant Apple pulled back the curtain on its latest lineup of innovations, including the much-anticipated iPhone 17 series. Among the standout reveals was the Apple Watch Ultra 3, a device hailed as the company’s most advanced wearable to date. Packed with a suite of cutting-edge features for health, fitness, safety, and connectivity, its most groundbreaking addition is undoubtedly the new satellite connectivity—a feature designed to be a lifeline in the most remote locations. However, for millions of potential users in India, this game-changing technology comes with a major limitation.

How Does Emergency SOS via Satellite Work?

Apple’s satellite connectivity feature is a remarkable feat of engineering, designed to provide a crucial communication link when you’re off the grid. According to Apple, the Watch Ultra 3 allows users to send text messages to emergency services or pre-saved emergency contacts, even from areas completely devoid of mobile networks or Wi-Fi coverage. This could be a lifesaver for hikers, explorers, or anyone who finds themselves in a remote location facing an emergency.

Furthermore, the system is integrated with the watch’s intelligent safety features. If the device detects a severe car crash or a hard fall and the user is unresponsive, it can automatically transmit an alert along with the user’s precise location to emergency responders and contacts. While Apple is pushing this technology forward in its wearables, similar satellite communication features have also been introduced in select smartphones from Apple, Samsung, and Google, signaling a new era in personal safety technology.

The Big Question: Why Is This Feature Unavailable in India?

Apple first introduced Emergency SOS via satellite with the iPhone 14 series, and its inclusion in the Apple Watch Ultra 3 was a logical next step. However, users in India will be unable to access this crucial safety net. The primary reason is a geographical restriction: the service is currently limited to the United States and Canada.

This limitation is not due to a lack of satellite technology in India. In fact, India has a sophisticated and well-established satellite infrastructure. The bottleneck lies in regulatory and commercial agreements. To roll out its satellite features in a new country, Apple must establish partnerships with local satellite internet providers and navigate the region’s specific telecommunication regulations. This complex process has not yet been completed for the Indian market. As a result, Indian users of Apple’s latest devices are, for the time being, excluded from this potentially life-saving feature.