Android devices like the Galaxy series have a lifespan, and that ends when the device no longer receives security updates and Android updates. A recent death was linked, in part, to a failed emergency services dial. The phone used was not eligible for security or OS updates.
According to a recent incident report from Vodafone’s parent company, a Lebara customer was unable to dial 000 (the emergency services number in Australia) during an undisclosed medical incident (via The Guardian). The Samsung Galaxy phone used had reportedly been unsupported and was not receiving security updates.
The network noted there were no outages, and all evidence suggests the users should have been able to connect, given the device allows it to do so. The individual was eventually able to dial 000 through a separate device, though the NSW Ambulance service notes that it was too late, and the individual died before arrival.
Samsung and affected networks reportedly knew of the issue, with TPG, Optus, and Telstra sending out notices to users in late October regarding the known 000 failure. A previous warning from Samsung included a list of unsupported devices that were at risk of being unable to dial emergency services when needed. That list includes the Galaxy S6 and S7 series, which do not currently receive security updates. Further, the company has detailed a much larger list of devices that require an immediate update to address the problem.
The provided list of devices that can not dial 000, but are eligible for a fix, includes some surprising devices, like the Galaxy S21 lineup. Users in Australia are encouraged to check Samsung’s official device list and ensure their devices are updated to the latest software from Samsung.
The number of devices that will be blocked from using these networks in Australia totals around 50,000. That number represents the number of Samsung devices in users’ hands that can not dial 000 when needed.
This serves as a grim warning of why updates are essential, and why even security updates keep devices functioning properly even if feature updates run out. When devices have critical bugs or security flaws that can’t be mended because they fall outside of the company’s support timeline, these issues have the potential of cropping up.
This is on the extreme side, of course, but it happened. There are many more devices in the region with the same issue still, though the affected networks plan to discontinue service unless users upgrade or update.
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