Seoul: U.S. tech giant Apple Inc. has enhanced an emergency location-sharing feature on iPhones specifically for South Korean users, following a request from the Seoul government, officials disclosed.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the enhancement involves extending the service's duration from the previous five minutes to 30 minutes. This change was requested by the Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC) to aid emergency responders in accurately locating iPhone users who require emergency assistance.
The agreement was finalized after multiple discussions involving the KMCC, Apple, the National Police Agency, the National Fire Agency, and the Korea Internet and Security Agency. A KMCC official remarked that Samsung Electronics smartphones do not have such limitations because they use a different mechanism, highlighting Apple's decision to extend the feature specifically for South Korean users.
KMCC Chair Kim Jong-cheol expressed approval of Apple's decision and emphasized the commission's commitment to collaborating with global companies and related organizations to enhance the quality of location-sharing services, aiming to better protect people's lives and safety.