Well, if I were doing some insane trip in the Australian outback, I would make sure my emergency communications solution worked before I left.
It’s a radical concept for many, I know, but a minimum of preparation is what sets people apart.
I have an on-off emergency beacon that I turn on before I do canoe trips in the BWCA. It is my responsibility to understand the risks of wilderness travel and take reasonable precautions to mitigate those risks where appropriate.
In my opinion, this is one of the last bastions of true self-responsibility and self-reliance in modern society.
So paying for the service ahead of time and testing it before I leave is part of my pre-trip process.
Apple selling phones with this capability does not mean they are taking responsibility for the safety of everyone in the wilderness with one of these phones.
Huge swaths of America are very isolated with no service, but it’s nothing like the Australian interior, I imagine.
I use a spot device and have a plan I can turn on and off for trips. It’s $15 to have it on for one month.
Most people who really need this technology probably already have a dedicated device for it. Like a spot or a garmin in touch.
That person died becuse they were not prepared for their trip, not because Apple wanted to charge for the service they provide.