Google appears to be addressing a widespread issue that has led to an uptake in mistaken calls to emergency services.
Police services across Canada, including Québec and Ontario, have previously asked Android users to turn off Emergency SOS.
The feature lets users contact emergency services quickly by pressing their device’s power button five times. After a countdown, emergency services are automatically called.
“OPP Comm Centres have seen a significant increase in 911 hang-ups. This may be linked to an Android update which turned on Emergency SOS,” the Ontario Provincial Police tweeted on April 14th. “You could easily dial 911 without knowing.”
The issue isn’t isolated to Canada. According to the BBC, police forces in the UK have issued similar warnings as their Canadian counterparts.
Google told the publication it would provide manufacturers with resources and additional guidance, but each manufacturer that offers Emergency SOS is responsible for managing the feature.
“We anticipate device manufacturers will roll out updates to their users that address this issue shortly. Users that continue to experience this issue should switch Emergency SOS off for the next couple of days,” a spokesperson told BBC.
Source: BBC
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