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Apple Inc. is partnering with a startup to tackle a problem that has long vexed 911 operators: locating cellphone callers.
Most 911 calls are made using mobile phones, but those callers’ locations are harder to pinpoint than those of calls made using traditional land lines — a problem that can delay first responders.
RapidSOS, an upstart backed by three former Federal Communications Commission leaders, aimed to solve that problem. It created technology that pipes location information from smartphones and other internet-connected devices directly into the software used within 911 call centers.
Apple’s new partnership with RapidSOS means iPhone users who call 911 will automatically send their location to emergency call centers, representatives for the companies said. Apple plans to push the new software to iPhones later this year as part of an update to its iOS mobile software, the company said.
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