iPhone 2.1 Emergency Call Anyone - Bug or Feature?

[Mr. Zorg]

This is not new. It's been able to do that since day one. If you're that concerned about someone using it without your knowledge, keep it in your pocket. I don't mind people being able to make calls on my phone, I just don't want them getting in to all my apps, pictures, notes, email, etc...

 

[jettredmont]

Much simpler, zero cost idea: In your contacts list there could be a check-off box that says "allow this number to be called from a locked iPhone. Then a user could put checks by numbers like their own home phone, 911, park rangers and the local volunteer fire department. This would not require any new redesign of existing menus and it is easy to understand. When the phone is locked only those checked contacts would be displayed. For most of us we'd only check-off 911.

Bad idea. Most parks have posted a specific number for emergencies (the local sheriff office), and you most likely do NOT have that number sitting in your phone book. In any real emergency, 911 is the last number you want to call from your cell phone, assuming you know the location-specific number (meaning, if you're on a softball field it pays to walk behind the backstop and dial the number the park district posts for medical emergencies instead of calling 911, having them look up that number for you, and have them dial that number for you).

Again, I've had a dozen or so cell phones in my life (not all my own, but split between myself, my wife, and our families). I don't think the "phone" part on any of them was ever locked by passcode. You can be damned sure, though, that the PDA phones all were locked to protect the data on them!

IMHO, I worry about the contacts list being locked. The only time we lost a phone, it was returned to us because the person who found it looked through the contacts and dialed "Momma". Otherwise, it would never have been returned. I'm not Britney Spears; my contacts list isn't a state secret, and is MUCH less valuable than the other data on my phone!

 

[Peel]

Bad idea. Most parks have posted a specific number for emergencies (the local sheriff office), and you most likely do NOT have that number sitting in your phone book.

But if you're hiking in a national park, you probably don't remember the emergency number was posted at the park entrance. So perhaps this would be a good idea to add to your contacts list in either case.

 

[TEG]

I have a Motorola V180, when I have it on lock (which I did when I used it regularly) you can either enter the code or call the local Emergency Number ("911", "999", "112", etc.). You can actually dial any number, but the tower will only allow it to call the local emergency number because the phone also sends a signal saying that it is locked, just like when it doesn't have a SIM.

TEG

 

[Kwill]

I have a Motorola V180, when I have it on lock (which I did when I used it regularly) you can either enter the code or call the local Emergency Number ("911", "999", "112", etc.). You can actually dial any number...

More thought needs to be given to this feature. Perhaps users should be able to identify a list of emergency numbers and assign them to various digits - like speed dial.

 

[wizard]

This feature is perfectly fine just the way it is!

I'm not sure what all the whining hear is about but I have to wonder why people associate all emergencies with 911? That is certainly where a good portion of them should go but there are many cases where that might not be ideal.

Some of these cases have already been highlighted but I can add a few. Many large industrial sites have local security where emergencies must first be reported to. The reason is simple the facility will have the sorts of responders available that are familiar with the local realities. Similarly government installations may have their own security systems in place. Sometimes an emergency can be best handled by an intermediate individual due to communication issues. Those issues can be anything from language to hearing or speech loss.

Like many I don't see where the huge problem is. As long as somebody can only dial out and not get to your stored info little harm can come to you. As others have pointed out once the device is reported as stolen you shouldn't have much in the way of charges made against your account.

Dave

 

[wizard]

I think of if as a feature.

I have life-threatening allergies, and I have an emergency contact number (along with the location of my Epi-Pen) on my lock screen.

Interesting as I've recently been diagnosed with my own issues. I'm wondering how you went about creating that screen? I'm assuming some sort of editing of an image file.

If someone needs to use my phone while I'm incapacitated, I'm good with that.

That is the way I feel. Ideally the lock screen would detail the condition and the current medication regime. Actually I'd love to be able to put a scrolling image on that lock screen.

Not to mention, emergency numbers aren't always 911 (or the international equivalents), especially in rural areas and places like parks and mountains.

Yep exactly!


Dave

 

[Ntombi]

Interesting as I've recently been diagnosed with my own issues. I'm wondering how you went about creating that screen? I'm assuming some sort of editing of an image file.

That is the way I feel. Ideally the lock screen would detail the condition and the current medication regime. Actually I'd love to be able to put a scrolling image on that lock screen.


Yep exactly!


Dave

I use a free app called [app]CloseCall[/app], which overlays a strip with the pertinent information over your chosen wallpaper. It ruins the aesthetics, but that's the price we pay for health issues.

 

[mikes63737]

I think that it's both a bug and a feature.

It's a feature because if I'm dialing a number that I know, I don't have to unlock my phone. If I'm letting someone make a call on my phone because I trust them enough to handle my phone but don't want them getting into my data, it's perfect because they can dial a number without seeing any other information.

I think it's a bug because of the possibility of unauthorized use. It would be nice if there was an option to have it do either 1) allow calls to all numbers. 2) show a list of authorized numbers. 2) show the keypad but only allow users to dial certain numbers.

 

[Templex]

Definitely an intentional decision by Apple. I remember this from when I first got my iPhone back last September. There's no way they would let such an obvious bug last for this long.

 

[richard4339]

When I got my iPhone, I waited in line on launch day. By the time I got there, though, iTunes was down and my phone was not activated. When I got outside the store, all I could get to was the emergency call screen. So, out of curiosity, I tried calling my wife. It went through. I then had her call me. It came through. This was with firmware 2.0.0...

 

[megfilmworks]

This is a great feature and not a bug. Hopefully Apple will leave it alone.

 

[willjax]

Of course its a feature!

Like a few people have mentioned, you have to realise that this is a phone as well and 911 or 000 (here in Aus) is not always the number to ring. For example, in south australia, we have a completely different number to call for police assistance instead 000.

And for those who think you should be able to check off a box to include certain numbers, what happens when you actually get in to a situation where you need to make an emergency call to someone you left off that list?

I would definitely say that this is a feature and not a bug.

Cheers

 

[wackymacky]

A limit the number of numbers that can be called?

Perhaps if apple insists that the call it an "emergency" feature the number of people you cal call should be limited, say to 3 or four from the contact list plus911.

That way if someone finds the phone and find its locked they don’t call Ethiopia out of spite etc.

 

[Diode]

Last year, I found an iPhone that was locked and I had no way of contacting the owner to return it. But, then I used the emergency call feature to call my home phone number and the caller ID gave me the number of the iPhone. I called that and left a message and was able to eventually track down the owner and return the phone.

Anyway, this "feature" has been around for at least a year and probably from the beginning.

Kudos to you for going above and beyond to return something that's not yours

 

[FreeState]

I think the "Allow this number for emergency calls" checkbox idea is the way to go. Maybe have 911 + favorites defaulted "On" and allow the choice for other numbers.

At least they've fixed the other access-related issues surrounding the "emergency call" feature.

So what happens when your out of the country/state/county and need to call for an emergency = you have to add it in before? Bad idea IMO

Its a feature, and one Im glad is there.

 

[TEG]

Honestly, so long as it does not allow international calls, except when connected to a network in that country I would call it a feature. If however my at&t phone even allows a call to Canada (where I get charged more to call) then I would call it a bug. So, as long as I am only charged my minutes, or am calling within the country I am in, I'm fine with it.

I would also like to see Apple adopt the common idea of an ICE number, so that if an emergency occurs and you are incapacitated, you phone can be used to identify you through your ICE number.

TEG

 

[hexonxonx]

It's likely been pointed out already but this has been a feature of the iPhone since day one. It's meant to allow any call that one may need to place in a hurry without actually unlocking the phone. It's not a bug.

 

[itsbetteronamac]

I have been able to call anyone using the "emergency call" feature since I bought the first iPhone on the first day it came out. Don't know where ya'll have ben.

 

[bachlau]

not new.

 

[3247]

Like a few people have mentioned, you have to realise that this is a phone as well and 911 or 000 (here in Aus) is not always the number to ring. For example, in south australia, we have a completely different number to call for police assistance instead 000.

Actually, that does not matter. With GSM/UMTS, when you dial an emergency number, your phone does not send the number to the network but an emergency call flag.
This works as long as your phone recognizes the emergency number. So if you dial 911 in South Africa on a US mobile phone with a US SIM card, it will still work.

 

[esaias]

Huh?

How do you do a emergency call on an iphone anyway? You need yo select emergency call and then dial? How many buttons presses you need to do to be able to make emergency call? On Nokia phones you just dial the emergency number regardless the state of the phone, you can dial to emergency number without entering pin (after power on).

-t

 

[Ntombi]

Huh?

How do you do a emergency call on an iphone anyway? You need yo select emergency call and then dial? How many buttons presses you need to do to be able to make emergency call? On Nokia phones you just dial the emergency number regardless the state of the phone, you can dial to emergency number without entering pin (after power on).

-t

The screen looks like this, and if you don't know the passcode, you select emergency call, and it brings you to a keypad so you can dial.

 

[kolax]

Only numbers available should be your stored 'In Case of Emergency' number, and the actual emergency number for the region you are in. Remember, the whole point in that is if someone else were to use your phone in an emergency.

If you are able to use your phone, then you don't need full access to all numbers in emergency mode. There is your 'In Case of Emergency' number and the emergency number(s) (Sea, Mountain etc), that is it. I see no need for any others. If you are in an accident, someone needs to phone for an ambulance, it is there. If you have a condition and they need to phone your doctor, you have your 'In Case of Emergency' number.

If it is an emergency, those are the only two you'd need. Phoning your wife, husband or whatever, isn't a priority if you have been in an accident. Getting an ambulance is.

And everyone has a mobile these days - if would be quite rare to be in an accident or something and be surrounded by people who don't have mobile phones.

 

[fiori42]

It only works with numbers that are in your address book...try dialing another number and you'd see it doesn't work when you passcode look your phone