Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/Mishaal Rahman
The mobile devices that we carry around in our pockets come with incredible features, sometimes being able to save our lives in ways that nobody would have imagined a decade ago.
Apple's Crash Detection is living proof. Thanks to sensor data, an iPhone can determine when you've been involved in a crash, asking for input and eventually dialing 911 to call for help. The device can provide the dispatchers with your location and medical information collected from the profile stored in the Health app.
Emergency SOS is a feature available on Android that allows users to initiate a 911 call faster, sometimes silently, by tapping the power button five times in a row. Once the feature is triggered, Emergency SOS can also notify emergency contacts.
Emergency SOS can be useful in many dangerous situations, but the way users can trigger it has so far been causing a flood of accidental calls to 911. Apple struggled with the same problems due to Crash Detection, as the iPhone mistakenly believed people were involved in accidents when making sudden moves, such as when skiing or riding a rollercoaster. The company fine-tuned the feature, but some authorities still prompt users to disable Crash Detection temporarily when attending events where it could be easily triggered.
Google has found an easier way to prevent accidental calls started by simply tapping the power button repeatedly in a pocket.
Android now requires users to touch and hold their finger on the screen for three seconds before making the call to emergency services, though the operating system still allows users to disable this option to automatically initiate the call. The new behavior includes the additional action enabled by default, so Google hopes the number of accidental calls will be reduced significantly on most Android devices.
The feature was first spotted earlier this year, with some users claiming they've had it since at least June. It was included in an Android 14 beta build but should now be available for all Android users with up-to-date devices.
Meanwhile, Google still recommends Android users to avoid hanging up when they notice they've made an accidental call to 911. Pocket dialing has become very common, and the five-tap gesture on Android produced a flood of accidental calls, with 911 operators sometimes having to call back to determine if the user has an emergency. Google recommends users to talk the 911 dispatcher and tell them they accidentally made the call.
Apple's Crash Detection is living proof. Thanks to sensor data, an iPhone can determine when you've been involved in a crash, asking for input and eventually dialing 911 to call for help. The device can provide the dispatchers with your location and medical information collected from the profile stored in the Health app.
Emergency SOS is a feature available on Android that allows users to initiate a 911 call faster, sometimes silently, by tapping the power button five times in a row. Once the feature is triggered, Emergency SOS can also notify emergency contacts.
Emergency SOS can be useful in many dangerous situations, but the way users can trigger it has so far been causing a flood of accidental calls to 911. Apple struggled with the same problems due to Crash Detection, as the iPhone mistakenly believed people were involved in accidents when making sudden moves, such as when skiing or riding a rollercoaster. The company fine-tuned the feature, but some authorities still prompt users to disable Crash Detection temporarily when attending events where it could be easily triggered.
Google has found an easier way to prevent accidental calls started by simply tapping the power button repeatedly in a pocket.
Android now requires users to touch and hold their finger on the screen for three seconds before making the call to emergency services, though the operating system still allows users to disable this option to automatically initiate the call. The new behavior includes the additional action enabled by default, so Google hopes the number of accidental calls will be reduced significantly on most Android devices.
The feature was first spotted earlier this year, with some users claiming they've had it since at least June. It was included in an Android 14 beta build but should now be available for all Android users with up-to-date devices.
Meanwhile, Google still recommends Android users to avoid hanging up when they notice they've made an accidental call to 911. Pocket dialing has become very common, and the five-tap gesture on Android produced a flood of accidental calls, with 911 operators sometimes having to call back to determine if the user has an emergency. Google recommends users to talk the 911 dispatcher and tell them they accidentally made the call.
Here's how Google (actually) addressed the spike in false 911 calls placed by Android phones.
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) October 20, 2023
Earlier this year, law enforcement and emergency service operators around the world saw a spike in false emergency calls being placed by Android phones.
This was blamed on Android's… pic.twitter.com/4gcusLEkHt
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