So did your smartphone ever dial 911? I ask because this happened to me not long ago. I walked the streets, not knowing my phone dialed 911 three times until I checked the call log. But what about when a major IT service corporation does it, all day every day? This is Apple accidental? fake dialing 911.
So since October 2017, Sacramento County, CA received over 1,600 fake 911 calls. It didn’t come from prank calls, but from an Apple store in that county. The store comes from Elk Grove, the second biggest city in Sacramento County. Nobody knows what device these fake calls are coming from: iPhones, iWatches, or Mac books.
So this breaks down to 11 calls a day. It may not sound like much, especially for a major metropolis like Sacramento. However, it’s enough to slow down emergency services for those who need it. It could also block calls of people with real life-threatening issues. Furthermore, many criticize iPhones and Apple watches for ease to trigger fake 911 calls. For example, you can call 911 on an Apple watch by holding the side button just for a second or two. Apple did it like this so people can contact 911 easy in case of emergency. But it seems they made it too easy.
Yes, Apple is aware of the program. They also vow to work with local leaders and take steps to keep this from happening. However, Apple leaders remain tight lipped about what these steps are. Let’s face it. Apple isn’t the most popular brand out there. And Apple fake dialing 911 isn’t helping matters any. I might get in trouble for this. But in the computer repair industry, there are some techs who dread when a customer comes with an Apple product. There are various reasons for this, and this just adds to the growing lists. Does Apple accidental fake dialing 911 change your view?