The latest version of Apple's mobile operating system - iOS 26.2 - addresses an issue that prevented Triple Zero calls made by iPhone 12 owners from connecting.
Apple detailed the issue on a support page on its website, explaining that iPhone 12 devices were, in rare scenarios, not able to connect to an alternative mobile network to place a Triple Zero call when their primary mobile network was not available.
No matter what network a mobile phone in Australia primarily connects to, the device is able to access any available network to make a Triple Zero call. This means that in the case of an outage, the user is still able to contact emergency services.
Apple says iOS 26.2 provides support, and is encouraging all iPhone 12 owners to update. This includes the standard iPhone 12, the iPhone 12 mini, the iPhone 12 Pro, and the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Other devices are not affected.
The steps for updating iPhone software may vary depending on what version of iOS the device is running, but Software Update can typically be found under General in the Settings app.
In addition, telcos are obligated to block devices from their networks that can't reliably contact Triple Zero under laws introduced last year. Users with impacted devices are typically sent a message from their telco and given a minimum of 28 days to address the issue. Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone do, however, all have mechanisms for unblocking a phone after the initial warning period has expired, provided the issue has been addressed.
A Telstra spokesperson told WhistleOut that iPhone 12 owners with a Telstra SIM are not impacted by the issue. As such, there's no immediate rush for Telstra iPhone 12 owners to update to iOS 26.2.
"However, we encourage all our customers to keep their devices up to date with the latest software," said the spokesperson.
Apple's new software update is the latest in a string of Triple Zero calling issues that have emerged recently.
At the end of November, Vodafone advised that its customers using iPhones released between the iPhone 6 in 2014 and the iPhone X in 2017 should run a software update to ensure Triple Zero calls work as intended.
Prior to that, Telstra revealed that a large number of Samsung devices were hardwired to look for the now-defunct Vodafone 3G network when making an emergency call when the primary network was unavailable. The issue can be addressed with a software update on the majority of devices, but the oldest need to be replaced.
Update 16/12: Added comment from a Telstra spokesperson
Alex Choros
Related Articles
