iPhone Emergency Call Mode

• Normally it is not necessary to use a special mode to make an emergency call with an iPhone, but when the owner has placed a passcode lock on the device, normal access to the phone app is not possible. For this reason, the passcode keypad has a button in the lower left corner labeled "Emergency Call." Pressing this button will expose a phone keypad which may be used to dial an emergency phone number.
  
  

iPhone Security and Emergencies

• For many users, security of their iPhone is vital. The device is a small, portable computer, and people use it for confidential communications, storing private data, and performing sensitive operations such as Internet banking. This means the iPhone is more than a phone, and traditional telephone conventions don't always apply. One such convention is assuming any phone can be used for emergency calls. For the iPhone, this necessitated the creation of Emergency Call Mode.
  
  

Problems With Emergency Call Mode

• Historically there have been some bugs in the Emergency Call Mode that have allowed malicious users to partially bypass the passcode security. A popular example was that Emergency Call Mode allowed the user to call any phone number, not just emergency numbers. Malicious users could exploit this to run up usage minutes or make phone calls that might cost the owner money. This problem has been fixed in iOS updates.
  
  

Considerations

• Emergency Call Mode allows the iPhone to be used to call 911 or other emergency numbers, but it is not be the ideal device for this purpose. 911 operators can physically locate most landline phones, but locating a cell phone is more difficult. Also, people not familiar with the iPhone's interfaces may not be aware of the "Emergency Call" button, which could cause the loss of time in an emergency as they attempt to figure out how to activate Emergency Call Mode.