Apple Watch 4 - Fall Detection and SOS dialing in NZ

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timbosan

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Topic # 240815 27-Sep-2018 11:33

Hey all, I am very interested in the new Apple Watches for their ability to detect falls and contact emergency services. As I understand it (https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/09/apple-watch-series-4-review-a-bigger-better-watchos-experience/ and https://support.apple.com/en-nz/HT208944 ) the watch will, after detecting a fall and waiting for a minute, both message an emergency contact, and call emergency services.

However does anyone know if this works in NZ? Since we don't have the eSim functionality working here, how do the 111 calls work? Is it done via a paired iPhone and the Health app settings? I cannot find clarification on this.

Has anyone with a Apple Watch 4 looked into this, or set it up?

Brumfondl

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Reply # 2097415 27-Sep-2018 11:57

This might help answer your questions :)

https://support.apple.com/en-nz/HT208944

timbosan

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Reply # 2097495 27-Sep-2018 13:30

Brumfondl:

This might help answer your questions :)

https://support.apple.com/en-nz/HT208944

Thanks, i had read that one already but it doesn't answer how the call is made in NZ, when we don't have eSIM support. Is there a requirement on having the Watch paired with an iPhone? What happens if your outside, do you need to be in Wifi range?

dfnt

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Reply # 2097502 27-Sep-2018 13:41

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It's done through the iPhone, otherwise if our carriers ever bother to support esim then it'd be done through the watch if it wasn't connected to the phone

rscole86

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Reply # 2097504 27-Sep-2018 13:45

As above, it's through the phone if the watch does not have coverage. You would need to ensure that the app knows to dial 111. Also if it did work from the watch, if carriers support the device, it would hopefully support ecli to make if truly useful.

timbosan

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Reply # 2097523 27-Sep-2018 14:03

dfnt:

It's done through the iPhone, otherwise if our carriers ever bother to support esim then it'd be done through the watch if it wasn't connected to the phone

Thanks. Does this mean the watch needs to be in Bluetooth range? Or on the same Wifi Network? Details I cannot find.

dfnt

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Reply # 2097525 27-Sep-2018 14:04

I think it uses wifi direct between the devices after the initial bluetooth handshake

How far you can get in distance with wifi direct I don't know

https://support.apple.com/en-nz/HT205547 apparently the watch can do wifi calling if it's out of range or the phone is off, not sure if that works with 2degrees though