Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
U.S. iPhone Users to Receive Emergency Test Alert Today
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Am I the only one that thinks this whole alert system is silly. This isn't the 1950s where we had just AM radio and 5 channels on TV. I think there is no need for this today. If a nuke is coming your way, there isn't much you can do about it. I fail to see the need for this in 2023. I have all government alerts turned off on my phone (the ones they allow you to turn off).
If something happens, I suspect I'll find out about it via other means.
Edit: I see user "coolfactor" disagrees. I'd be happy to hear what coolfactor expects to learn from a "national" text alert on your phone? What useful information?
If something happens, I suspect I'll find out about it via other means.
Edit: I see user "coolfactor" disagrees. I'd be happy to hear what coolfactor expects to learn from a "national" text alert on your phone? What useful information?
We've received test alerts in Canada, and they've always gone smoothly, received just once.
However, the alerts are passed through the Weather apps, too, so we do receive multiple alerts if we have Weather apps installed, but it's just copies of a single alert.
Interesting to hear devices without a SIM card getting the alerts. Could it be through channels like installed weather apps?
However, the alerts are passed through the Weather apps, too, so we do receive multiple alerts if we have Weather apps installed, but it's just copies of a single alert.
Interesting to hear devices without a SIM card getting the alerts. Could it be through channels like installed weather apps?
This is why I skipped the gym today. Not just for me but walking outside too there might be unsafe with all the cars in the city.
This is the apocalypse the government warned us about....
Is there a way to turn this off
A complete violation. I don't want to see or hear this. This an overstep.
A complete violation. I don't want to see or hear this. This an overstep.
Regardless, what emergency do I need some national override on my phone for? It seems leftover from the 1950s. Do you really think the gov't is going to provide you with useful information? Which you won't get from other sources anyway?
It's in your Emergency alert history in settings where you can supposably turn it off except you can't turn off these stupid alerts.
What would they even send if that happened? "Hey guys, you're about to get nuked. Lol. -Joe" ???
shut down my phone and restarted it with it on the mute switch and do not disturb on and it still came through another time blaring so the mute switch has no effect, Apple needs to address this now.
Let me try rebooting with airplane mode turned on.
OK rebooted in airplane mode and it's quiet, I connected to my Wi-Fi hotspot.
What this tells us is for 30 minutes any IMEI cellular device which connects to the cell phone tower will keep receiving messages every time it re-connects and probably between cell towers as well so as you're driving you should get multiple alerts.
This also tells us that the mute switch is only a software switch and not a physical disconnection of the wire for the speaker power which also means that the camera works the same way, even though the little green light is not on apparently the camera can be accessed without our consent.
Last edited:
Yeah I have all the emergency/test alerts setting off and it still blasted right through. I immediately swiped left and dismissed them. Very loud and disruptive. Dangerous and irresponsible. Hope not too many people got killed via car crushes and heart attacks over this.
The thing is, I don't mind an alert, just not with sound. With the way people have their phones close 24/7 nowadays letting us turn off the sound is better than all or nothing. I have amber alerts turned off because of the sound. The disruptiveness kind of backfires.
Many have also pointed out that some domestic violence victims have a hidden phone (and others in analogous situations). This alert would almost definitely cause such a device to be discovered. So people on social media have been warning those living in these situations to turn off their phones, but probably many of them didn't see the warning. I hope not many of them get abused, beaten, or killed because of this. Certainly, this lifeline would get taken away, leaving them helpless.
Again, for me the problem is not the alert as such, but that with millions of people living in such varied circumstances, none of them have the option to receive the alert without the sound.
The thing is, I don't mind an alert, just not with sound. With the way people have their phones close 24/7 nowadays letting us turn off the sound is better than all or nothing. I have amber alerts turned off because of the sound. The disruptiveness kind of backfires.
Many have also pointed out that some domestic violence victims have a hidden phone (and others in analogous situations). This alert would almost definitely cause such a device to be discovered. So people on social media have been warning those living in these situations to turn off their phones, but probably many of them didn't see the warning. I hope not many of them get abused, beaten, or killed because of this. Certainly, this lifeline would get taken away, leaving them helpless.
Again, for me the problem is not the alert as such, but that with millions of people living in such varied circumstances, none of them have the option to receive the alert without the sound.
Last edited:
The weather alerts have saved me more than once.
About three years ago, when I was living in Birmingham, I was driving back from Nashville in a thunderstorm (it didn't seem bad) at night. A few miles past Huntsville on i65 I get a pushed NWS tornado warning so I pull over, and about 1/2mi down the road it was ripping the guardrails up and tossing cars and trees.