An iPhone showing “SOS” isn’t a cry for help, but it does mean you’re having connection issues. This is what the three letters really mean.
SOS Only on an iPhone
SOS is well known as a Morse Code distress signal, quickly and efficiently communicating that there is a major and potentially life-threatening problem. While SOS doesn’t actually mean “Save Our Souls” and is really just an agreed-upon communications sequence, the meaning is immediately understandable to almost anyone.
Your iPhone or cellular-equipped iPad can also display SOS in the status bar. However, the meaning is less about the phone being in trouble and more about what it cannot do.