The Emergency SOS feature on Android phones has led to false alarms. SOS support, introduced by Google with Android 12, automatically calls the police when the power button is pressed five times. However, it has been reported that this feature has caused false calls in the UK and hindered the work of the authorities.
Police warn Android users over Emergency SOS
Police received hundreds of false calls due to the Emergency SOS feature. Google introduced a series of updates to the Emergency SOS feature with Android 13. However, this update caused chaos in the UK by not delivering the expected performance. Emergency services were dispatched to individuals who did not require assistance, putting a strain on the response teams.
A new announcement by the National Police Chiefs’ Council criticized the Emergency SOS update on smartphones. Although there has been no statement from Google regarding the issue, it was suggested that the Emergency SOS feature be disabled.
WhatsApp is undergoing a major transformation on Android! Here are the first images. The source of the error on Android is currently unknown. However, the occurrence of false calls after Google’s shared update indicates a possible software issue. Google stated that the control over how the feature works is provided by the smartphone manufacturer.
In the initial stage, it was reported that the Emergency SOS feature should be disabled to resolve the issue. Additionally, users were advised to follow the Android 13 updates to prevent unnecessary alerts to police teams.
A similar error related to the Emergency SOS feature has not yet been reported in another country. However, if it occurs in a different country outside the UK, the Emergency SOS feature may be temporarily suspended. It is worth noting that this issue has not been observed on iPhones.
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