This new advice is designed to help emergency centres.
Apple issued a potentially lifesaving warning to iPhone users.
The tech giant quietly released an update to a memo for one of the iPhone’s smartest features.
Millions of iPhone models are able to call the emergency services automatically or with a few button presses.
For example, the iPhone 14’s Car Crash Detection feature can tell if you are in a motoring accident and contact the emergency services – even sharing your exact location with them.
But if this happens by accident, Apple says you must never hang up. Instead, you need to stay on the line and explain the situation.
In addition to Crash Detection, emergency calls can be triggered by a five-button Lock Button press for some iPhone users.
The Fall Detection feature on Apple Watch can also start an emergency call.
If any of these features activate by accident, you must explain to the emergency services that the call was a false alarm.
Similarly, it could happen that you have been in an accident but do not need emergency help.
In its updated memo, Apple says:
“If the call has been made, but you don’t need emergency services, don’t hang up.
“Wait until a responder answers, then explain that you don’t need help.”
This new advice is designed to help emergency centres.
If you hang up once an emergency call has been logged, responders may be sent to your location to make sure you’re safe, wasting time.
These valuable resources could be used for people in real emergencies.
Freeing emergency responders up from false alarms could mean the difference between life and death for someone in dire need in rare cases.
The change comes after several reports of accidental Crash Detection calls to emergency services.
False crash reports have been logged on rollercoasters and ski slopes – causing trouble for emergency call centres.
Earlier in 2023, Colorado ski resort hub Summit Country became a hotbed of crash alerts.
In October 2022, the crash detection feature was triggered by rollercoaster rides.
In a bid to reduce false reports, Apple has been working with emergency call centres to optimise its systems.
Apple has released software updates to improve the accuracy of its Crash Detection feature and it has proved to be lifesaving.
In late 2022, a couple was saved by the iPhone 14’s Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via Satellite.
The pair’s vehicle dropped 300 feet down the side of a remote Californian mountain road.
Thankfully the iPhone 14 alert allowed the couple to be hoisted to safety by helicopter rescue teams.
At the time, Montrose Search and Rescue (SAR) Team tweeted:
“This afternoon at approximately 1:55 PM, @CVLASD received a call from the Apple emergency satellite service.
“The informant and another victim had been involved in a single vehicle accident on Angeles Forest Hwy near mile marker 18.87, Angeles Forest.
“They were in a remote canyon with no cellular phone service.
“The victims were able to extricate themselves from the car.
The authorities confirmed that Apple’s call centre provided an accurate latitude and longitude for the couple’s location.
Montrose SAR said: “Using the emergency satellite service on their iPhone 14, they were able to communicate to a relay centre via text.
“Air Rescue 5 was able to locate the victims and insert a paramedic.”
Loading ...