One of our engineers was part of the alpha/beta tests of this and it starts rolling out today.
It works as advertised, though of course it does require at least a partial view of the sky to work properly, and it might potentailly save a life or two, down the road.
No question in my mind, and far more than two. It’s not just the stereotypical backpacker that gets into trouble. Regular vacationing travelers get stuck in the boonies with no cell signal and they die. Like the ones cited in this video.
None of them would have likely died if they had something like the iPhone 14’s SOS feature. Sure, you can already buy satellite SOS devices that can allow even more texting, not just for emergency, and your stereotypical extreme backpacker probably already has one along with the expensive subscription. What’s new with the iPhone and cellphones from other brands that’ll follow the lead is that normal people who don’t think they’ll get lost and in trouble, who would never spend the money for a satellite SOS device and subscription service, will now be carrying the option with them if and when needed.
It’s a very big deal IMHO.
Having grown up in Colorado, I give this 
You would be shocked at the number of folks who can’t/won’t read a map and get stranded on a rutted out mountain road in the back country - high centered and stuck until someone comes along with a four-wheeler and wench to pull their sorry a.$.$ out of a big crack…sorry for that mini-rant but spent several late Sunday afternoons getting someone back on the road who’d been there since Friday night scared out of their wits…
PS - CAN NOT give the video enough props for rule number 4 - DO NOT TRUST YOUR GPS ON MOUNTAIN ROADS - just because there is a plowed path does not mean it is a passable road most of the time and short cut = DANGER.