Police Issue Warning to Android Phone Users Regarding Unintentional 999 Calls Caused by New Feature

 


Police forces across the UK have raised concerns about a recent feature found on certain Android phones, which is leading to a significant influx of unintended and "silent" 999 emergency calls overwhelming emergency switchboards. The problematic feature, known as Emergency SOS, is triggered when users repeatedly press the side button on their phones. Police officials believe that this feature is partly responsible for the escalating number of emergency calls being made.

Google, the developer of the widely used Android phone software, has stated that it expects phone manufacturers to release updates addressing this issue. Popular smartphone models such as Samsung's Galaxy, Google's Pixel, and OnePlus devices are among those running on the Android operating system.

The National Police Chiefs Council explained that the recent Android software update introduced a new SOS emergency function that allows devices to call 999 by pressing the power button five times or more. They attributed the current surge in emergency call volumes to various factors, with the Android update being a significant contributing factor.

Devon and Cornwall Police reported that it takes approximately 20 minutes to handle each silent call. They advised individuals who accidentally dial 999 to remain on the line and inform the operator about the mistake. The police force disclosed that on a single Sunday, they received 169 silent 999 calls between midnight and 7:00 PM BST.

Police Scotland noted that BT had witnessed a notable increase in unintentional 999 calls. Although the Emergency SOS feature was introduced with Android 12 in 2021, many users have experienced specific issues since the Android 13 update last year.

Manufacturers' websites provide guidance on disabling the feature, with most phones allowing users to deactivate the emergency SOS call option through their device settings. Typically, users can access this option by navigating to safety and emergency settings or by searching for "emergency call" in the settings menu.

This issue is not limited to the UK alone. The European Emergency Number Association issued a warning in early June after being notified by some of its members about a surge in false automatic calls originating from Android devices.

A spokesperson from Google stated that it is the responsibility of manufacturers who choose to include the Emergency SOS feature to manage its functionality on their devices. They assured that Android is providing additional guidance and resources to assist manufacturers in preventing unintentional emergency calls. Users experiencing this issue are advised to disable Emergency SOS temporarily until manufacturers release updates to address the problem.

In conclusion, the police are urging Android phone users to be cautious due to the inadvertent surge in 999 emergency calls caused by the Emergency SOS feature. Both the police and Google are working together to address the issue and provide solutions to prevent further unintentional calls.

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