Skype has updated its mobile and desktop apps to allow emergency calling in the U.S. for the first time in its 18-year history. Calls to 911 are also possible via Skype’s web-based service, notes for the recently released Skype 8.80 showed.
An important part of the 911 feature is the ability to let emergency operators know your precise location so that first responders can easily find you. This will be useful in situations where you don’t know your precise position or if it’s simply easier to send automatically generated location data rather than trying to explain where you are — something that’s not always easy to do in a high-stress situation.
Skype points out that you’ll also have to acknowledge messages for “Notices & Disclosures” and “Special 911 Warning of Limitations & Unavailability” to complete the process of setting up the emergency location sharing feature.
Will they be responsible for the uptick in swattings?