Apple Researching Methods for Facilitating Emergency Phone Calls

[MadCow42]

How long has Apple been in the cell radio business? 3 years, and they are completely rewriting the playbook.

Actually, the whole reason Apple is so innovative and successful is that they never bothered to READ the playbook. Even thinking about the "old rules" will box a company in. Apple goes at it backwards compared to most of their competitors:

Competitor: how do we apply this great technology to make money?

Apple: what benefit (not feature) does the customer need/want, and what features/technology do we need to develop to supply that?

They're one of the smartest marketing companies I know - although in the end, the actual technology isn't that unique, they apply it in novel ways to outfox their competitors.

MadCow.

 

[joeshell383]

Pre-Coded 3GS Message: "I'm a 3GS owner, rescue me first."
Pre-Coded 3G Message: "Once the 3GS guy is ok, then check on me."
Pre-Coded original iPhone message: "Feel free to harvest my organs for the 3GS guy."

Guess I had better upgrade! :

 

[globol]

Trips and fall over*
Pulls out iPhone and activates voice command*
"argh, call 911"
iPhone "iPod activated"
"stupid phone, call 911"
iPhone "now playing michael Bolton"
"piece of *****! Call 911"
Iphone "please enter your apple care id"
"ahhhh! I don't have apple care!!!"
iPhone "please say your credit card number after the tone and a representative will right with you"
"I'm dying you sum of a b!tch"
iPhone " sorry we did not get that number please try again"
"1234567891234567"
iPhone " thank you would you like to buy the extended warranty for 100 dollars more?
Gasping for air "yes, please just help me!"
iPhone "thank you for your purchase, the next opertator will be with you shortly. *ding the wait time will be 5 mins"
*** on hold with music playing. *rick roll song.

Person dies.

 

[fleshman03]

Cool! I hope never will have to use it, but it would be a good idea to have it implemented and in my pocket. (Just in case.)

 

[RunOverProducti]

I know its business, but should stuff like this really be the subject of IP protection? Sounds excellent and the kind of thing that should be on every mobile, rather than being a potential selling point.

TRUE!

But Apple is the one who is coming up with the idea, soon you will see all other phones following the iPhone foot steps.

That's what they been doing anyway lol

The iPhone is original, anything that's coming out is tio compete with the iPhone and that's why they crash and burn.

Apple has original ideas, is time for other phones to have some too, and stay away from trying to compete with the iPhone.

 

[Blue Fox]

I like that "current location" option. I've had to call 911 many times to report major car accidents when I was out of state (and had no idea where i was). That's a GREAT feature.

 

[wizard]

Certainly as long as there is no prior art.

I know its business, but should stuff like this really be the subject of IP protection? Sounds excellent and the kind of thing that should be on every mobile, rather than being a potential selling point.

Yes because it protects Apple. Once they have the patent they can license as they see fit. With enough buy in from other vendors they could even create a standard, going so far as to turn the patent over to a standards body.

One should not assume that patents are always a bad thing. Sometimes it leads to consummer friendly products and competition. That is of course if the companies involved are responsible. The history of DRAM interfaces is very interesting in this regard as it is an example of good and bad.

Now I don't know where Apple stands in regards to this patent but one shouldn't assume the intentions are totally bad. In any event as an old guy it gives me another reason to continue to buy Apple products.



Dave

 

[el3ktro]

Great. If they manage to patent this, it means that other phone makers will be not be allowed to do this.

No, not necessarily. Apple may allow other companies to use this, too. They may even allow this for free.

 

[bretm]

You might be a prophet.

An iPhone port on my scooter!

 

[Doctor Q]

I applaud Apple for doing this research. The patent application doesn't worry me. If they turn it into working technology, they may very well license it freely to other companies.

If someone is lurking in your home, you shouldn't reach for your iPhone first, you should be reaching for a gun. Then get your phone.

There's an app for that.

next thing you know its a medicare benefit

And citizens would be wise to keep an iPhone in every room of the house in case they don't have an iPhone on them. That should boost sales a bit.

I have one concern. Emergencies are by nature hectic times when things can go wrong, and when they do people are looking for someone to blame. How far can Apple take something like this without opening themselves up to lawsuits over the failed handling of an emergency? If the phone mis-sends data, gives medical tips that aren't applicable, provides CPR instructions with a typo, etc., Apple should not be liable. Perhaps this will need to be covered by a clause in the contract with iPhone users. And then what happens when they license the technology to another company who then mis-implements it?

 

[so-dim]

Damn! I was just outlining such an idea for such an App with my friends this weekend, one of them must work for Apple...
My idea would have also sent MMS pictures every 10s so that any perp would hopefully be caught, just as well I hadn't spent months working on it.

 

[venasque]

That's an _invention_????

Great. If they manage to patent this, it means that other phone makers will be not be allowed to do this.

And if this is about emergency calls, I'd consider that rather cynical on Apple's part.

Good products, but an evil company.

Lets just take a breath before we start jumping to conclusions. It's not even something that is out yet, it's just an idea at the moment.

ONCE it's been released we will then know if Apple is going to keep this to themselves or if they are going to freely share it with other companies so it's of benefit to everyone.

Lets not start judging and name calling until we know what is fact and what is cynicism.

 

[omahajim]

removed

 

[winterspan]

I was just thinking, wouldn't it be cool if the iPhone could track via the accelerometer (and GPS) when you were in a car traveling at high speed and then call 911 if there is a violent G force indicative of a roll-over or crash.

You could even have a "false-positive" protection by having the a voice announce that it believes you were in an accident and it is now calling 911 unless you press the screen in a certain way.

The only problem I can foresee is if the iPhone fell out of the window of your car driving down the highway (and didn't break). I'm sure there are other issues to work out, but overall I think the concept could work.

 

[pmjoe]

I was just thinking, wouldn't it be cool if the iPhone could track via the accelerometer (and GPS) when you were in a car traveling at high speed and then call 911 if there is a violent G force indicative of a roll-over or crash.

You could even have a "false-positive" protection by having the a voice announce that it believes you were in an accident and it is now calling 911 unless you press the screen in a certain way.

The only problem I can foresee is if the iPhone fell out of the window of your car driving down the highway (and didn't break). I'm sure there are other issues to work out, but overall I think the concept could work.

Quick, call your patent lawyer, so we can add one more patent to the junk heap.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

I was just thinking, wouldn't it be cool if the iPhone could track via the accelerometer (and GPS) when you were in a car traveling at high speed and then call 911 if there is a violent G force indicative of a roll-over or crash.

Oh, man, there'd be lots of 911 calls from amusement parks, and people will be stupid enough not to realize it and turn the thing off before getting on some roller coaster.

 

[DELLsFan]

This is a great feature to add to the iPhone!

 

[michael.lauden]

Oh, man, there'd be lots of 911 calls from amusement parks, and people will be stupid enough not to realize it and turn the thing off before getting on some roller coaster.

yeah.. not to mention that is a terrible idea. maybe if that was built into a car, not a cellphone.

 

[jsw]

It's a damn good idea! When I first started reading about this apple patent, it's exactly what I started thinking about - some sort of recessed panic button. But it would have to located where it couldn't accidentally be triggered of course... but I like it!

In the patent, there were two buttons, one on each side, that had to be squeezed together to activate it. Sort of like the almost-useless (IMHO) side buttons on the Mighty Mouse. They didn't have to be very recessed or all that small, just not positioned so that you'd squeeze them together by mistake. I mainly did the patent to make some money (I was awarded the vast sum of ~$500 from my employer), but I figured it might make people feel more secure. The idea occurred after a number of abductions had been mentioned on the news, and I figured it'd provide some peace of mind. It also was intended to be a way for someone who was incapacitated to make a distress call.

Hmmm. Maybe Apple's patent infringes on it. If it weren't for the fact that I'm getting canned and tomorrow is my last day, I'd look into it.

 

[winterspan]

yeah.. not to mention that is a terrible idea. maybe if that was built into a car, not a cellphone.

I don't think it's "terrible" at all, although I did say it may not be feasible with all the practical issues that would need to be worked out. Just throwing out an idea....

Also, I am talking about an application specific to the iPhone. Many vehicles already have similar technology integrated, including GM's onstar system and some Mercedes vehicles.

 

[pmjoe]

I don't think it's "terrible" at all, although I did say it may not be feasible with all the practical issues that would need to be worked out. Just throwing out an idea....

Don't believe him, he's just busy calling his patent lawyer with your idea. These days, nobody in the patent office is going to care about the practical issues of it.

 

[bluedevil14]

I think this is just a good all around idea. Maybe in 4.0?

 

[bruinsrme]

I know its business, but should stuff like this really be the subject of IP protection? Sounds excellent and the kind of thing that should be on every mobile, rather than being a potential selling point.

I can't agree more. This should be a collaboration, we are talking about something that can save lives.

 

[Merkuryy]

Looks like a Zune HD

 

[Rot'nApple]

Finally, Apple describes the use of "emergency phrase buttons" that could allow for preset actions..."

Will they have the phrase, "I didn't get the chicken McNuggets I ordered from MacDonalds! Send the police immediately!"

Sadly, that's what 911 seems to be all about these days with the upcoming generation.