Technology
Connect in a crisis with iOS 18's new video call feature for emergency services
Imagine you’re out hiking in a remote area when you suddenly witness a friend take a serious fall. They’re unable to move, and you’re unsure of the extent of their injuries. In the past, you might have had to describe the situation over the phone to emergency services, which could lead to delays in getting the right help.
However, with Apple’s new Emergency SOS Live Video feature, you can now share live video footage of the incident directly with first responders.
This innovative capability, launched in iOS 18, allows iPhone users to stream video and send recorded media during emergency calls, making it easier and faster to get the help you need.
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How it works
When you make an emergency call using an iPhone running iOS 18, participating emergency dispatchers will have the ability to send you a request to share live video or photos over a secure connection. This real-time visual information can be crucial in helping first responders assess the situation and provide appropriate assistance more quickly and effectively.
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Wide-reaching impact
The integration of Emergency SOS Live Video with emergency response platforms like RapidSOS UNITE is expected to cover 99% of the U.S. population. This widespread availability means that the vast majority of iPhone users will have access to this potentially life-saving feature when they need it most.
IS YOUR PHONE READY FOR AN EMERGENCY? TURN ON THESE LIFESAVING SETTINGS
How to use Emergency SOS Live Video
1. Initiate an Emergency Call:
On an iPhone, you can start an emergency call by either:
- Press and hold the side button and one of the volume buttons (left or right side) until the Emergency SOS slider appears.
- Then, drag the slider to call emergency services.
- Alternatively, if you continue holding the side and volume buttons without dragging the slider, a countdown begins, and an alert sounds.
- If you keep holding until the countdown ends, your iPhone will automatically call emergency services.
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2. Share Live Video or Share Photos from your Library request
After making the call, if supported by the dispatcher, they may send a request to Share Live Video or to Share Photos from your Library.
3. Accepting the request
Once you accept to either Share Live Video or Share Photos from Library, the video stream or photo sharing will start.
4. Network coverage requirement
Live video sharing will only work if your iPhone has a stable connection to a cellular network or Wi-Fi. Without coverage, the video feature won’t function.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
Emergency SOS Live Video in iOS 18 is a game-changer for emergency response. By allowing you to share live video with dispatchers, it provides crucial real-time information that can help first responders assess situations more effectively. With coverage for 99% of the U.S. population, this feature definitely enhances safety and peace of mind for iPhone users.
How comfortable would you feel using live video during an emergency, and what concerns might you have about privacy or security? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact
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Technology
WordPress.org’s latest move involves taking control of a WP Engine plugin
WordPress.org has taken over a popular WP Engine plugin in order “to remove commercial upsells and fix a security problem,” WordPress cofounder and Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg announced today. This “minimal” update, which he labels a fork of the Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) plugin, is now called “Secure Custom Fields.”
It’s not clear what security problem Mullenweg is referring to in the post. He writes that he’s “invoking point 18 of the plugin directory guidelines,” in which the WordPress team reserves several rights, including removing a plugin, or changing it “without developer consent.” Mullenweg explains that the move has to do with WP Engine’s recently-filed lawsuit against him and Automattic.
Similar situations have happened before, but not at this scale. This is a rare and unusual situation brought on by WP Engine’s legal attacks, we do not anticipate this happening for other plugins.
WP Engine’s ACF team claimed on X that WordPress has never “unilaterally and forcibly” taken a plugin “from its creator without consent.” It later wrote that those who aren’t WP Engine, Flywheel, or ACF Pro customers will need to go to the ACF site and follow steps it published earlier to “perform a 1-time download of the genuine 6.3.8 version” to keep getting updates.
As its name implies, the ACF plugin allows website creators to use custom fields when existing generic ones won’t do — something ACF’s overview of the plugin says is already a native, but “not very user friendly,” feature of WordPress.
The Verge has reached out to Automattic, WordPress.org, and WP Engine for comment.
Update October 12th: Adjusted to add clarity about Mullenweg’s use of the “fork” label.
Technology
Starship’s fifth test flight is approved: where to watch the launch
SpaceX plans to launch Starship for the fifth time tomorrow, October 13th, during a 30-minute launch window that opens at 8AM ET. That’s after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) declared today that the company has “met all safety, environmental and other licensing requirements for the suborbital test flight,” reports Reuters.
The company will livestream the launch, starting about 35 minutes before liftoff. You can catch that on SpaceX’s website or its X account, as well as in the X TV app.
SpaceX’s goal for tomorrow’s flight is to return the Super Heavy booster to its launch site, which hasn’t happened before. It’s shooting for another successful splashdown of Starship in the Indian Ocean, which it pulled off for the first time in its fourth flight test in June.
The FAA’s clearance wasn’t anticipated until November, but the agency and its partner “conducted assessments more quickly than anticipated,” as CNBC reported yesterday. In addition to tomorrow’s planned launch, Reuters writes that the FAA “also approved the Starship 6 mission profile.”
Technology
Fox News AI Newsletter: Fake Jennifer Aniston bikini body ad
Welcome to Fox News’ Artificial Intelligence newsletter with the latest AI technology advancements.
IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:
– Jennifer Aniston bikini body ad is latest AI scam in ‘big game of whack a mole’ for celebrities
– Parents warned of disturbing kidnapping scheme using kids’ voice replicas
– US Navy looks to robots, AI to extend vessel health and maintenance
FAKE ‘FRIENDS’: Despite recently signed legislation in California, artificial intelligence deepfakes of celebrities are as prevalent as ever. One of the most recent has been a clip of Jennifer Aniston that appeared on Facebook, showing her speaking about being in “bikini shape even in my 50s” and promoting collagen supplements that are the reason “why my body doesn’t hold onto fat,” per US Weekly.
WORST NIGHTMARE: Phone scams have been around for a while, but recent advancements in artificial intelligence technology is making it easier for bad actors to convince people they have kidnapped their loved ones.
SHIPSHAPE: The U.S. military will look to robotics and artificial intelligence to improve fleet maintenance and readiness, according to Gecko Robotics.
‘WHAT DO YOU MEAN?’: A new song that sounds like it was released by Justin Bieber, with lyrics mentioning being at a “Diddy party,” has gone viral on social media, sparking questions about its authenticity.
Subscribe now to get the Fox News Artificial Intelligence Newsletter in your inbox.
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