Apple Shares Emergency SOS Apple Watch Success Story

Apple today shared a minute-long video promoting the Emergency SOS feature on the Apple Watch, highlighting the rescue of Australian man Rick Shearman, who was swept out to sea last July.


Shearman was swimming in Byron Bay when rough seas pushed him away from shore, with the current carrying him over 1.5 kilometers from the beach. He couldn't get past the waves, and after about 20 minutes of trying to get to shore, he realized he needed help.

He called emergency services using the Emergency SOS feature on his Apple Watch, with the call played back in Apple's ad spot in a dramatic reenactment of the event. He was able to source help, and stayed on the line with emergency crews for an hour to direct them to his location. He was ultimately rescued by helicopter.

Emergency SOS on Apple Watch can be activated by holding down the Side Button to call the local emergency services for the area that you're in.

Popular Stories

Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Thursday September 25, 2025 1:11 pm PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system codenamed "Charismatic," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple smart home hub concept based on rumors This is likely Apple's long-rumored "homeOS" operating system. In a report last month, Gurman said both Apple's rumored smart home hub in 2026 and tabletop robot in 2027 will run the new operating system. He said the software platform ...
iOS 26

Apple Continues to Prepare iOS 26.0.1 With Multiple Bug Fixes Expected

Sunday September 28, 2025 1:30 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions. The account initially said iOS 26.0.1 would have a build number of 23A350, but they now expect the update to have a build number of 23A355. This suggests that the software update will include more bug fixes or changes than initially...
Tim Cook Rainbow

Apple Event in October? Here's What to Expect

Monday September 29, 2025 9:31 am PDT by
Apple's annual iPhone event is in the rearview mirror, but rumors suggest the company plans to release a handful of additional products before the year ends. Will there be another Apple event this October? We discuss the possibility below. Apple in October Apple's most recent October events were in 2021 and 2023. In 2022 and 2024, Apple did not host an October event. Instead, it...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pro Nears Mass Production, But Four Bigger Upgrades Expected Next Year

Sunday September 28, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next MacBook Pro models will enter mass production soon, according to the latest information shared by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said he continues to believe the new MacBook Pro models will be released at some point between late 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, meaning they should be available to order by March at the latest. Apple often...
iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

iPhone 16 Pro Max 80% Charge Limit: One Year Later, Was It Worth It?

Wednesday September 24, 2025 3:58 pm PDT by
With the iPhone 15 series, I did an experiment and kept my iPhone's Charge Limit set at 80 percent for an entire year. It provided an interesting look at the impact of charge limits on battery longevity, so I decided to repeat it for the iPhone 16 line. Since September 2024, my iPhone 16 Pro Max has been limited to an 80 percent charge, with no cheating. As of today, my battery's maximum...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.0.1 With Fixes for Wi-Fi, Cellular, and Camera Issues on iPhone 17 Models

Monday September 29, 2025 10:12 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 26.0.1 and iPadOS 26.0.1, the first updates to the iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 operating systems that came out earlier this week. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. According to Apple's release notes for the update, iOS 26.0.1 addresses a bug that could cause aberrations in...
iphone 17 ceramic shield

Regular iPhone 17's USB-C Charging Speeds Tested With Apple Chargers

Friday September 26, 2025 9:01 am PDT by
The website ChargerLAB has tested the standard iPhone 17 model's USB-C charging speeds with a variety of Apple's chargers, from 18W to 140W. The device reached a peak charging speed of around 27W to 28W with these Apple chargers:29W USB-C Power Adapter 30W USB-C Power Adapter 35W Dual USB-C Port Power Adapter 35W Dual USB-C Port Compact Power Adapter 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max...
AirPods Pro 3 Newsroom

Apple's 'Back to School' Offer Ends Soon, Now Applies to AirPods Pro 3

Wednesday September 24, 2025 7:20 am PDT by
Apple's annual "Back to School" promotion for students ends soon, so act fast if you want to score free AirPods with the purchase of an eligible new Mac or iPad. Until Tuesday, September 30, college students and qualifying educational staff in the U.S. can receive free AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation when they purchase an eligible new Mac or iPad from Apple. This is a $179 value. ...
iPhone 17 Pro Colors

Skipped the iPhone 17 Pro? Here's What is Rumored for iPhone 18 Pro

Tuesday September 23, 2025 8:55 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still a year away, there are already a few rumors about the devices that offer an early look ahead. Below, we have recapped some of the early iPhone 18 Pro rumors so far. This story was published previously, and it has been updated to reflect the latest rumors. Many early rumors prove to be true, but nothing is confirmed yet, and Apple's...

Top Rated Comments

Howard2k Avatar
25 weeks ago

It’s a nice story, ruined by metric units.
It's 2025.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
azpekt Avatar
25 weeks ago
the best Apple ad in ages
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
goldmac2006 Avatar
25 weeks ago

Did he have the iPhone with him out there? Or was he just using his cellular AWU?
If you’re planning to surf, swim, do a triathlon, or dive nearby, it’s best to leave your iPhones behind unless if y’all have the GPS Apple Watch . If we bring our iPhones in the water, we’ll need to put them in a waterproof case.

This guy only wore his Apple Watch Ultra 2 with the ocean band.

If you call emergency SOS on your Apple Watch, it will use cellular data on the Apple Watch if your iPhone isn’t with you, or if your iPhone is with you, it will use the cellular data from your iPhone. But even if you don’t set up cellular on your Apple Watch, it can still pick up cell towers to make emergency calls.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Godspeed8230 Avatar
25 weeks ago

Geez, great story, but at what point before 1.6km do you think, maybe I should start paddling back?
Rip currents or rip tide. They are the ocean‘s deadliest phenomenon, moving as fast as 2 meters per second. You should swim parallel to the beach until you get out of it.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rochford Avatar
25 weeks ago

It’s a nice story, ruined by metric units.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BHarris_108 Avatar
25 weeks ago

Such an awesome story! Let’s see more ads like this.

One other thought is that most people prob don’t have the cellular version and thus they can’t use the SOS feature (this makes me want to upgrade to AW cellular, but I’ve always been wary of having a cellular signal basically strapped to my skin 24/7).
Hi Julesme. Here in the US (and probably elsewhere, too) even if you don't have a cellular plan set up, if you DO have a cellular-capable Apple Watch you can STILL call emergency services if you're in trouble. The same goes for phones too! It's the law — and a pretty great one, if you ask me ?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)