Google Messages Will Finally Let You Text 911

It ’s not Android ’s equivalent to the iPhone’semergency SOS via planet , but it ’ll do for now . Google announced that later this class , Google Messageswill let you text 911 from your Android equipment , even when SMS is n’t available . The company is team up up withRapidSOSto activate the service via RCS . It will get rolling out the power in the U.S. this winter .

When you text , you could send gamey - result image and videos so that first responders can see where you ’re at and what ’s fall out . you’re able to also share your location with the dispatcher and any extra information you make available through theAndroid Emergency Location Service ( ELS ) .

Until researching this piece , I was woefully unaware that you couldtext emergency servicesfor assistance since , the last I heard , it wasrarely supportedthroughout the United States . It ’s still not wide uncommitted ; only 53 % of emergency brake call center have the substructure to treat photos and schoolbook messaging , which is where RapidSOS seems to be capable to bridge the gap .

Image: Google

Google say its goal is to make RCS “ the measure for hand brake service texting everywhere . ” It mentions “ call for the ecosystem ” to partner with it , which seems an interesting agency to call out Android manufacturers to implement something like this .

Or maybe it ’s call out to Apple ? disregarding , no specific date is mentioned in Google ’s blog , which makes this feature a “ wait and see ” for now , making the rest of this conversation moot . Google clarify that the far - ahead rollout is because RapidSOS is working on total access to more call centers across the region .

While waiting , you might as well update those emergency physical contact plug-in on your smartphone in case of a severe emergency . Pixel users can habituate thePersonal Safety appto store essential emergency information , including medical selective information and emergency contacts . On other Android devices , like Samsung ’s , you could stress searching under options > Safety and Emergency > Medical Info to access this capability .

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