I think we should distinguish two things:
- the notion of an emergency number in the sense of mobile networks:
- triggers a particular sequence on the towers to give it priority;
- works without pre-paid money;
- works without a SIM.
In this sense, this is the list of numbers that @olf has cited.
- the purpose of an Emergency Call screen:
- to enable ME to call emergencies faster without having to type my lock code;
- to enable anyone who finds MY phone locked next to me in any accident, to be able to call for help for me.
In the sense 2., there is no need to restrict to the emergency number in the sense of GSMA. If I visit Austria and pass out, I really want SFOS to allow anyone who finds me unconscious to be able to call 144 for ambulance on my phone, if it’s the first number that occurs to their mind. This is very likely to happen if say I fall while repairing something at my parent’s house. There is zero chance my old parents know about 112, they’ll use the local number at their place, and I might just die.
I imagine two possibilities:
- The cumbersome one, which is for SFOS to allow a wider list of two or three digit numbers to be dialled on the emergency screen (those which are not “emergency” as per GSMA but will still save my life or someone else’s life when dialled).
- Another possibility is to add a “panic mode”. I believe there is no purpose of a screen with a 9 digit dial if only one number is expected to be typed. This is why Android has a panic mode with 5 presses on the power button calling a screen to confirm whether the user wants to call emergencies, with no notion of a number. I’m not saying SFOS should replace the typing screen with a panic mode. The dial might be useful for people to directly call Police or Fire brigade or Ambulances if they what they are doing. But a panic button could be added there with a suitable pictogram e.g.
and simplify the workflow in the common case.