HOW TO USE YOUR SMARTPHONE’S SOS FEATURE

In the unfortunate circumstance that you find yourself in an emergency, it is crucial that you have the proper resources to deal with it. Fortunately, modern technology makes smartphones an essential tool for contacting emergency services. Read on to see what the latest iOS and Android releases have to offer when an emergency occurs.  

Android

For Android devices, there is an app called Personal Safety that you can use to save and share your personal information in the event of an emergency.

  1. On your phone, open the “Settings” app
  2. Tap “Safety & Emergency” -> Emergency SOS
  3. Turn “Use Emergency SOS” -> On
  4. You can also turn “Play Alarm Sound” -> On to play a loud sound when Emergency SOS is starting

Alternatively, you can also activate SOS mode by quickly pressing the power button 5 times or more. Your phone will then automatically:

  • Call for emergency assistance
  • Share your location and other critical info, which will be shared with emergency contacts for up to 24 hours, or until you stop sharing
  • Record, back up and share a video of the incident

Additionally, the Personal safety app comes with the Safety Check feature, which lets you set a timer that will check in on your safety while keeping location services on. The Crisis Alerts feature also keeps you updated on public emergencies and natural disasters in your area.

Apple

iOS 16 includes a handy feature called Emergency SOS via Satellite that does exactly what it says in the name- connects your iPhone with a satellite if you have no signal to call 911 or other emergency services. This way, the feature will appear if there is no signal. To navigate your way through this feature, just do the following:

  1. When you try this feature, a satellite icon will appear in the upper right corner of the phone where the cell signal icon normally is
  2. Tap “Report Emergency”, and you then can select which emergency you’re in, such as a Car or Vehicle Issue, Crime, Fire, Sickness or Lost
  3. Depending on your emergency, you will receive different follow-up questions and prompts, as well as the option to notify your emergency contacts

We at Consumer Cellular hope that you feel at ease now that you’re more familiar with the SOS emergency functions that exist both on Apple and Android devices. It is always a good idea to be prepared; having these features equipped and ready to go is a great start.