The fall sensors of Apple devices are not equipped for skiing. This is what emerges from multiple experiences of skiers who descend the slopes Apple Watch on the wrist and iPhone 14 in the pockets.
These smartphones and connected watches indeed trigger false alerts to the emergency services when their owners take a little too much speed or brake suddenly on the snowpack.
In detail, the iPhone 14 and the Apple Watch SE, Ultra and Series 8 have a car accident detection system. If a fall or shock is detected, the watch or smartphone displays a notification on the device screen to inquire about the user’s health status. And if the latter does not consult the notification within 20 seconds, the emergency services are automatically contacted.
Finding false positives
And these relief go on the spot to simply note that it is about a false positive. Enough to cause a hell of a mess among the rescuers, inundated with automated calls, notes the Colorado newspaper, The Colorado Sun. To the point that Apple decided to communicate on the issue with the relief.
Apple has pledged to make improvements to its detection functionality as early as next year. But the Apple brand had already promised that the latest iOS update (16.2) would reduce the number of calls to emergency services. It seems the problem still persists.