Apple has announced a new feature in the iOS 12 that will be coming this fall: it will automatically share your iPhone’s location in the event of a 911 call. This will help responders track down users’ location much faster and more accurately.
“Communities rely on 911 centers in an emergency, and we believe they should have the best available technology at their disposal,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a press release announcing the feature, “When every moment counts, these tools will help first responders reach our customers when they most need assistance.”
The new feature will utilize Apple’s Hybridized Emergency Location (HELO) system launched in 2015, and will be integrated in the software of several 911 centers with the assistance of RapidSOS, an emergency tech company.
As a disclaimer, Apple also added that “user data cannot be used for any non-emergency purpose and only the responding 911 center will have access to the user’s location during an emergency call.”
