Internet and mobile comms connection are via a pre-installed mobile SIM, meaning that a mobile phone and service is not required to get help. And we definitely recommend having some sort of medical alert coverage as you or your loved one ages. Whether you're hiking in a remote location and have an accident or happen to have a fall at home, knowing how to use SOS emergency features on iPhone, Android phones or smartwatches can make sure that trusted individuals can get to you quickly. She has hand-tested the industry’s top medical alert systems, writing nearly 50 in-depth articles that help seniors age safely in place.

Also, Google's recent phones, like the Pixel 7 Pro, have no satellite SOS support, though we've heard that Android 14 will add satellite connectivity support for future Android phones.Garmin watches cater to hikers, climbers, winter sports fans, and other nature lovers who could easily find themselves in harm's way.

The Galaxy Watch Active2, Galaxy Watch3, and all Wear OS models include a hard fall detection feature that will send out an SOS if it ever detects a hard fall. We waffled back and forth about whether to make the VTech Kidizoom DX2 our fifth pick or to keep it as an honorable mention. In addition, the Apple Watch has a heart monitor and sends both high and low heart rate notifications. Other trackers on the market continue to update their location at all times, even when the user is safely at home.You'll need to go into the Wearable app and trigger a countdown of 5–20 seconds so you have a chance to cancel the SOS if you make a mistake; otherwise, it happens immediately.