Tech

iPhones Will Soon Share Location Data With 911 Call Centers

A new feature coming on iOS 12 will share location data with 911 call centers during emergency calls.

iPhones Will Soon Share Location Data With 911 Call Centers
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iPhones will soon share location data with 911 call centers.

On Monday, Apple announced it'll use an emergency technology company's data pipeline to securely share callers' location, "even in challenging, dense, urban environments."

The tech giant said the call centers would only be able to access location data during the call.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said the feature "will help first responders reach our customers when they most need assistance." 

It hasn't always been easy to locate wireless users who dial 911. And in 2015, the Federal Communications Commission revised its 911 location rules for wireless calls made inside. The agency said that by 2021, phone carriers must locate callers within 50 meters for 80 percent of all wireless emergency calls.

The FCC estimates about 70 percent of emergency calls are made on wireless phones. 

Apple customers in the U.S. will see the new feature with the iOS 12 system update later this year.