Apple has just released iOS 16.1, and you should install it immediately. The new release brings more than just a bunch of interesting features to supported iPhones. It also patches a critical vulnerability hackers might target. In related news, iPhone users on beta channels can now install iOS 16.2 beta 1, and the new release includes an Emergency SOS feedback feature that you should be aware of.
As you might recall, iOS 16 upgrades the SOS capabilities of the new iPhone 14 models with satellite emergency communication and Crash Detection support. However, the latter does have one flaw, as certain events like rollercoaster rides can trigger it.
Soon after Apple released iOS 16 and the iPhone 14 models shipped to buyers, customers began testing the Crash Detection feature by staging accidents. We also saw a report of a fatal car crash where an iPhone automatically called first responders.
Other tests showed that Crash Detection might not detect every crash.
Moreover, activating Crash Detection on a rollercoaster ride is problematic and a particular iPhone use-case that Apple has to account for.
With that in mind, the iOS 16.2 Emergency SOS feedback feature is a great way to improve Crash Detection. The feature is available in iOS 16.2, but you won’t necessarily encounter it unless you trigger SOS accidentally. That’s what iDeviceHelp did, discovering the following Unintentional SOS Calls feature in the beta:
The feature asks the user whether they intentionally triggered Emergency SOS on the iPhone and prepares a system diagnostic file for Apple to inspect.
Presumably, the iPhone will offer this feedback every time Emergency SOS is triggered. That means accidental Crash Detection activations might see similar feedback questions. And Apple might be able to tweak algorithms accordingly.
Most iPhone users won’t have to deal with this iOS 16.2 Emergency SOS feedback feature. They might only spot it after accidentally calling first responders. But the feature could help Apple improve the reliability of the Crash Detection feature in the future.
As with previous iOS 16 beta releases, iOS 16.2 is available to download right away on compatible iPhones.
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