iPhone and Apple Watch owners are accidentally triggering the Emergency SOS feature, leading to some embarrassing situations after the devices call 911 on their own.
Fortunately, there is a way to prevent Emergency SOS from accidentally calling 911. However, doing so might come back to haunt the user, in case a real emergency situation arises.
What Is Emergency SOS?
Apple introduced the Emergency SOS feature in iOS 11, giving users a fast and easy way to call 911 and to disable the Touch ID and Face ID security systems.
For the iPhone 7 and earlier, Emergency SOS is triggered by pressing the lock/power button five times in rapid succession. For the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X, the feature is activated by holding down the side button and a volume button. For the Apple Watch, Emergency SOS is triggered by holding down the crown.
Depending on the feature's settings, activating Emergency SOS may result in a loud countdown and a 911 call being automatically placed.
iPhone, Apple Watch Owners Accidentally Activate Emergency SOS
The Emergency SOS feature is designed to be easy to activate, but for some users, it might be too easy.
For example, Apple Watch owner Jason Rowley, who was sleeping with the device on his wrist for its sleep tracking function, accidentally pushed down its crown. This triggered the Emergency SOS feature and placed a 911 call, resulting in an awkward situation of three cops in the bedroom of a bewildered Rowley at 1 a.m.
There are other similar stories that can be found in social media, such as one iPhone owner who accidentally pressed the device's lock button several times while in class. This triggered the Emergency SOS alarm, making his classmates "freak out."
Meanwhile, a report from last month revealed that 1,600 false alarms have come from an Apple repair facility in California, where iPhones under repair are making too many 911 calls on accident.
How To Prevent Emergency SOS Accidents
To save yourself from embarrassing situations, there is the option to tweak the settings of Emergency SOS. Users can find the Emergency SOS menu right under Settings.
Users can choose to disable Auto Call, so that a slider will need to be dragged before a 911 call is made. Users can also decide to turn off the Countdown Sound option, which plays the warning sound when Emergency SOS is activated.
However, users should remember that disabling these features may reduce the effectiveness of Emergency SOS. For example, having to drag a slider to make a 911 call may be impossible even after being able to press the side buttons of an iPhone, and it could take very valuable seconds in a life-and-death situation.
