San Francisco: Apple iPhone 14 and 14 Pro models, as well as the Apple Watch’s Crash Detection feature, have continued to send false alarms from skiers as now it’s dialling 911 even for inconsequential skiing stumbles.
Apple devices of skiers in the US state had sent automated crash warnings to dispatchers at the Summit County 911 Center, which saw a 22 per cent surge in hang-ups, open lines, and misdialed 911 calls last December compared to December 2021, reports the New York Post.
“We’re still running in that 15 to 25 per cent increase in calls (compared to last year), that very well could be generated… by these Apple-generated and automated crash notifications,” the county’s 911 Communications Director, Jim DiPerna, was quoted as saying.
Moreover, the report said that when an automated call comes in, dispatchers will attempt to reach someone on the phone to confirm that there is no true emergency.
According to DiPerna, if the owner is unaware that their phone is dialling 911, officers will take steps such as tracking the Apple device’s location and sharing it with the mountain’s ski patrol.
“Worst case scenario, we’re trying to figure out where you are, what went wrong and what resources we have to send out to take care of that. It can go from a 30-second phone call to God knows how long,” he said.
The report further mentioned that Apple is in contact with 911 call centres that are currently experiencing a spike in automated 911 calls as a result of the crash detection feature, and is gathering feedback.
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