According to Statista, “there are more than 100 million iPhone users in the United States, accounting for about 45 percent of all smartphone users in the United States.”
I’m one of those 100 million+ users, and I’ve meaning to share today’s iPhone tip since I first heard it in December (I think from my buddy Rich DeMuro). Then, coronavirus took over the coverage. But since it’s a potentially life-saving tip, and with some states beginning to slowly open back up, I figured this is as good a time as any to feature how to quickly make an emergency call on an iPhone:
How to quickly make an emergency call on an iPhone
The iPhone SOS feature can be pretty helpful if you’re ever in a tough spot. As Apple details on its emergency call page, you can pull up the interface to make an SOS call (which “automatically calls the local emergency number”) with a few taps. From the page:
“Here’s how to make the call on iPhone 8 or later:
- Press and hold the side button and one of the Volume buttons until the Emergency SOS slider appears.
- Drag the Emergency SOS slider to call emergency services. If you continue to hold down the side button and Volume button, instead of dragging the slider, a countdown begins and an alert sounds. If you hold down the buttons until the countdown ends, your iPhone automatically calls emergency services.
“Here’s how to make the call on iPhone 7 or earlier:
- Rapidly press the side (or top) button five times. The Emergency SOS slider will appear. (In India, you only need to press the button three times, then your iPhone automatically calls emergency services.)
- Drag the Emergency SOS slider to call emergency services.”
More on the iPhone SOS feature
Per Apple, “You can also add emergency contacts. After an emergency call ends, your iPhone alerts your emergency contacts with a text message, unless you choose to cancel. Your iPhone sends them your current location, and, for a period of time after you enter SOS mode, it sends updates to your emergency contacts when your location changes.”
The hope is, of course, that you’ll never need to use these features. But if you do—including right now in the midst of a pandemic—and you have an iPhone, remember this tip!
More emergency help
- What to Do When You Face a Travel Emergency
- A Great App to Have With You in an Emergency
- This Portable Power Station Could Save You in an Emergency
- Create an Emergency Kit For Your Car
Have your own tip? Email it to whitney@johnnyjet.com!
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