Apple products offer a life-saving feature known as crash and fall detection, which is already available in several models of Apple Watch and iPhone. To find out if your iPhone has this feature, read on for more information.
What is crash detection
Before delving into which iPhone models have crash detection, it’s important to understand what it actually is. In the event of a severe crash or collision while driving, the iPhone with this feature will detect it and if the user doesn’t respond, the phone will automatically call emergency services and provide location data. This applies to crashes involving various types of vehicles such as vans, caravans, and more.
Once the iPhone detects an accident, a screen with a digital slider appears, giving the option to call emergency services. However, if the user is unable to respond within 20 seconds, the iPhone will automatically call for assistance and provide a recording of the location and situation.
Additionally, if the user has set up emergency contacts, the iPhone will notify them with an alert message containing the location and information of the accident. This combination of calling for emergency services and alerting emergency contacts is what activates the crash detection mode.
From Apple Watch to iPhone
The crash detection feature is also available on the Apple Watch, and if the watch is compatible with this mode but the iPhone is not, we can still use it through the watch. It is important to note that iPhones with crash detection do not require an Apple Watch to call 911, as the function will appear on the phone’s own screen.
To use this feature, the iPhone must have battery and be turned on. You can call emergency services through either a Wi-Fi network or a mobile network connection, making this feature compatible with Wi-Fi calls in case there is no coverage, as long as your phone carrier allows it to be activated.
At present, only the iPhone 14 series is equipped with crash detection functionality. This means that only the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max have this feature. For the Apple Watch, crash detection is available on the Apple Watch Series 8, second-generation Apple Watch SE, and Apple Watch Ultra. To use this feature, it is necessary to have the latest version of iOS or watchOS installed on the device.
For those who have an iPhone 11, 12, or 13, but do have a compatible Apple Watch, the crash detection feature can still be used, but through the Apple Watch. In this case, it is important to ensure that the watch is properly paired with the iPhone and has sufficient battery life.
