Apple Watch User Awakened by 3 Cops In His Bedroom after Accidental Call

An Apple Watch user said he mistakenly dialed 911 in his sleep and was awakened by 3 cops at 1 a.m. in his bedroom. The police officers said they received an emergency call from his device, so they wanted to know what the problem was.

The iPhone and Apple Watch have an emergency SOS feature that enables users to call for help really quick. On the latest models, including the iPhone X, a slide bar that activates the service appears after the users hold one of the volume buttons and the side button.

After using this combination of buttons, a dispatcher gets a call and emergency contacts get text messages that you may be in danger. The dispatcher and contacts get information on your current location too.

iPhone 7 or older models require the users to hit the side button five times in a rapid succession. In India, the button needs to be hit three times. On those models you’ll have to access the slider to activate the emergency call protocol, as well.

Apple Watch’s Emergency Feature Is Easily Set Off

On the Apple Watch, things are simpler, but they make police officers’ lives more complicated. It is enough to hold down the crown to dial 911. There is no need to drag a slide either. The less complex feature was rolled out with the WatchOS 4 and iOS 11.

In theory, the feature may be safer for users, but many times it was triggered by mistake in practice. For example, Jason Rowley accidentally called the cops in his sleep while wearing the Apple Watch to monitor his sleeping patterns.

Rowley accidentally set off the feature and woke up in the middle of the night with three police officers in his bedroom. The cops had entered his home, thinking that something bad must have happened. They also told Rowley that it was not the first time they were dispatched to a false emergency situation triggered by an Apple device.
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