Report: iPhones Will Share Location with Emergency Services During 911 Call

Those with an iPhone will soon have their location shared with 911 Dispatchers during an emergency call, according to a report.

According to Time, “iPhones will send their exact location to a RapidSOS dispatcher, which will then forward the coordinates to local emergency response centers.”

“That should make it easier for ambulances and paramedics to reach callers and shave precious minutes off response times, potentially saving 10,000 lives per year,” Time continued, adding that the feature will be available in iOS 12 this year.

iOS 12 will also allow users to see how much time they spend on their phone, and what apps they use the most.

In a blog post, RapidSOS’ Vice President of Product and Public Safety, Reinhard Ekl, revealed details about how the new 911 feature will work.

“When this feature is made available later this year in an iOS software update, Apple phones will send fast and accurate device location to the NG911 Clearinghouse when a user dials 9-1-1. This is part of the phone’s Operating System – users do not need to have an app installed on their phone for their location to be shared during a 9-1-1 call,” claimed Ekl. “This is not a replacement to the Carrier location you already receive through the ALI – rather, it is a supplemental source of data to help dispatchers quickly and securely access caller location.”