Apple Watch saves woman’s life in US

A US woman's Apple Watch Fall Detection features helped her get medical attention after collapsing because of a major heart problem.

A Reddit user described an incident involving their mother's heart in which the Apple Watch aided in obtaining prompt treatment. The story, as told by u/xanderpy on r/Apple, describes how the Redditor's mother felt a pain in her chest while on a business trip out of state. She fell face-first to the ground after texting a friend in the same hotel about her concerns.

"My mom was on a business trip in another state and staying in a hotel. She started to feel a pain in her chest and grew concerned. She texted her friend who was also at the hotel and asked her to come to her room. Immediately after this, she collapsed to the floor face first," the Redditor said in a post.

Within minutes, the friend rushed back to her room and dialled 911 (an emergency number for help in the US), but was informed that an ambulance was already on the way. It was later revealed that the Apple Watch had triggered an automatic emergency call through its Fall Detection feature.

The mother was taken to the hospital where doctors diagnosed her with a ruptured aorta. After undergoing surgery, she survived, and upon her recovery, she shared that her Apple Watch had played a crucial role in summoning help in her time of need.

Although the Apple Watch includes heart rate detection features, such as the ECG since the release of the Apple Watch Series 4, it is important to note that the company has made it clear that the feature is not capable of detecting a heart attack.