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Apple Shares Emergency SOS Apple Watch Success Story

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Apple today shared a minute-long video promoting the Emergency SOS feature on the Apple Watch, highlighting the rescue of Australian man Rick Shearman, who was swept out to sea last July.


Shearman was swimming in Byron Bay when rough seas pushed him away from shore, with the current carrying him over 1.5 kilometers from the beach. He couldn't get past the waves, and after about 20 minutes of trying to get to shore, he realized he needed help.

He called emergency services using the Emergency SOS feature on his Apple Watch, with the call played back in Apple's ad spot in a dramatic reenactment of the event. He was able to source help, and stayed on the line with emergency crews for an hour to direct them to his location. He was ultimately rescued by helicopter.

Emergency SOS on Apple Watch can be activated by holding down the Side Button to call the local emergency services for the area that you're in.

Article Link: Apple Shares Emergency SOS Apple Watch Success Story
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/04/09/apple-emergency-sos-rescue-video/
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Such an awesome story! Let’s see more ads like this.

One other thought is that most people prob don’t have the cellular version and thus they can’t use the SOS feature (this makes me want to upgrade to AW cellular, but I’ve always been wary of having a cellular signal basically strapped to my skin 24/7).
 
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Godspeed8230 said:
Did he have the iPhone with him out there? Or was he just using his cellular AWU?
Click to expand...
If you’re planning to surf, swim, do a triathlon, or dive nearby, it’s best to leave your iPhones behind unless if y’all have the GPS Apple Watch . If we bring our iPhones in the water, we’ll need to put them in a waterproof case.

This guy only wore his Apple Watch Ultra 2 with the ocean band.

If you call emergency SOS on your Apple Watch, it will use cellular data on the Apple Watch if your iPhone isn’t with you, or if your iPhone is with you, it will use the cellular data from your iPhone. But even if you don’t set up cellular on your Apple Watch, it can still pick up cell towers to make emergency calls.
 
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andycarver said:
Geez, great story, but at what point before 1.6km do you think, maybe I should start paddling back?
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Per the story, it sounds like a long time before he got to 1.6kms from shore; he did try to swim for 20 mins while it kept pushing him away. I was swimming in Hawaii and was probably only 10 meters from shore when I realized the water was unsafe. It took me a few minutes to get in and I was relieved when I did.
 
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This is exactly why I love Apple and continue to support their products. Stories like this highlight how the Apple Watch is so much more than just a gadget—it's truly a lifesaving device.
The Emergency SOS feature is an incredible innovation, and it's amazing to see it work in real-world situations like this.
Huge kudos to Apple for putting such powerful health and safety tools right on our wrists. This kind of tech makes a real difference.
 
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julesme said:
Such an awesome story! Let’s see more ads like this.

One other thought is that most people prob don’t have the cellular version and thus they can’t use the SOS feature (this makes me want to upgrade to AW cellular, but I’ve always been wary of having a cellular signal basically strapped to my skin 24/7).
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Hi Julesme. Here in the US (and probably elsewhere, too) even if you don't have a cellular plan set up, if you DO have a cellular-capable Apple Watch you can STILL call emergency services if you're in trouble. The same goes for phones too! It's the law — and a pretty great one, if you ask me 😊
 
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goldmac2006 said:
If you call emergency SOS on your Apple Watch, it will use cellular data on the Apple Watch if your iPhone isn’t with you, or if your iPhone is with you, it will use the cellular data from your iPhone. But even if you don’t set up cellular on your Apple Watch, it can still pick up cell towers to make emergency calls.
Click to expand...


Killer Life saving feature.
 
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Reactions: Parowdy, goldmac2006, julesme and 1 other person
Wow - that is truly a great save! An like the others who mention it - can't wait to also have Satellite SOS on the Apple Watch.
 
andycarver said:
Geez, great story, but at what point before 1.6km do you think, maybe I should start paddling back?
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You clearly don't go to the beach. A tide will take you out when there is a swell & you cannot swim against it or a rip. If he tried, he'd be dead from exhaustion! He clearly tried as much as he could.

In just a couple of minutes, you can be dragged out 100's of metres.

We have plenty of surf life saving facilities in Australia from beach to air, so he did the right thing.
 
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