HelpAround Releases Alert App For Users In Distress
This is such a good idea, Alert by HelpAround (for iPhone and Apple Watch) will tell three of your designated contacts when you need help – and can even call 911. …
Think of it like a panic button. On your Apple Watch (or iPhone).
While it’s true such panic button solutions are available, there are many who won’t use them, partly because of the stigma of illness and ageist prejudice, partly because they may make wearers appear to be victims, which can attract fresh problems.
In future, if you have a problem – say you need insulin or think you’re about to be assaulted – you can tap the Alert button on your phone or Watch. The free app will immediately send a text message with your location and begin a conference call to which it will attempt to bring all your contacts. The app comes with three free calls. To unlock that restriction you currently must pay $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year (in line with similar monitoring technologies on different hardware).
I dont understand why the subscription fee is what it is — or even why it exists in the first place. Most other such services are manned-response businesses, akin to home alarms and the like. This, however, appears to be little more than an automatic dialer and location sharing app. Yes, the three-person group call utilizes a “dedicated, private conference line,” but most modern phones are already capable of maintaining such arrangements. I’m just not clear what exactly a potential Alert user would be paying for.
Still, if you need something like this, I suppose you could do worse. Alert is certainly an elegant, competent app:
That said, I can’t help but think that a free or “pay once” equivalent is likely to hit the App Store sooner than later.
I’ll wait.