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

Apple Logo Spotlight

Report: Apple to Launch These New Products in 2026

Sunday November 2, 2025 5:34 am PST by
Apple is planning to launch at least 15 new products in 2026, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman outlined what to expect from Apple in 2026 in the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter. He said the company is heading "into one of its most pivotal years in recent memory," with the rollout of major new Apple Intelligence features, intense regulatory pressure on the App Store,...
ios 26 1 slide to stop

iOS 26.1 Brings Back 2007 Feature in New Way

Friday October 31, 2025 1:40 pm PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a small but helpful change for iPhones, and it could prevent you from running late to something important. Specifically, when an alarm goes off in the Clock app, there is a new "slide to stop" control on the screen for turning off the alarm. On previous iOS 26 versions, there is simply a large "stop" button, which could be accidentally tapped. The new ...
Apple Intelligence General Feature 2

New Version of Siri to 'Lean' on Google Gemini

Sunday November 2, 2025 6:06 am PST by
In his "Power On" newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today provided an update on the status of Apple Intelligence and the plans for it in 2026. Apple is still planning to roll out its revamped version of Siri around March of next year. The release should be accompanied by the release of a new smart home display product with speaker-base and wall-mount options. A new Apple TV and HomePod...
HomePod mini and Apple TV

New Apple TV and HomePod Mini Likely Launching Soon

Sunday November 2, 2025 5:49 am PST by
A new Apple TV and HomePod mini could launch as soon as this month, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today suggested. In today's "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple retail stores are planning an overnight refresh on the evening of November 11, where changes will be made after closing, such as refreshing displays and placing new products for the following day. The timing of the overnight...
Apple Foldable Thumb

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Friday October 31, 2025 8:52 am PDT by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that have been leaked about Apple's foldable iPhone so far. Ove...
M5 MacBook Pro

Waiting for New Macs? Apple Just Shared Bad News

Friday October 31, 2025 7:32 am PDT by
Apple has just given a strong indication that it will not be releasing any additional new Macs for the remainder of the year. Apple's CFO Kevan Parekh dropped the hint during the company's earnings call on Thursday:On Mac, keep in mind, we expect to face a very difficult compare against the M4 MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac launches in the year-ago quarter.Parekh essentially gave a heads up ...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.1 With Liquid Glass Toggle, Slide to Stop Alarm, New Apple Intelligence Languages and More

Monday November 3, 2025 1:11 pm PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.1, the first major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.1 comes over a month after iOS 26 launched. ‌iOS 26‌.1 is compatible with the ‌iPhone‌ 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings > General >...
iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
Early Black Friday Deals 2

The Best Early Black Friday Apple Deals

Sunday November 2, 2025 10:04 am PST by
We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When ...

Top Rated Comments

Howard2k Avatar
8 months ago

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

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