Skip to main content

Wearsafe for Apple Watch puts peers in touch with loved ones in an emergency

wearsafe apple watch applewatchmockup2
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Sexual assault is one of the most under-reported crimes on college campuses — last year, only 20 percent of cases were reported to the police. It’s a problem without a silver bullet, but Wearsafe Tag, a wearable that makes it easy for users to alert friends and family members to troubling situations, aimed to ease the burden by making it easier to reach help. Now, the startup is simplifying things further with an app for the Apple Watch.

On Tuesday, Wearsafe Labs, the design firm behind Wearsafe, took the wraps off Wearsafe for Apple Watch. With the app installed, users can send a GPS location and continuous audio stream — including a recorded 60 seconds of audio from before the alert was sent — with a preselected network of family, friends, and co-workers.

Alerts in the form of emails and texts are delivered five seconds after the Wearsafe shortcut on the watchface or app is tapped, and the Apple Watch vibrates discretely each time someone in a Wearsafe user’s network views an alert. From there, trusted peers can get in touch with the person who made the call instantly, or relay Wearsafe’s real-time data to emergency responders.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

“Wearsafe for Apple Watch is a natural evolution of the Wearsafe experience,” Dave Benoit, CEO and co-founder of Wearsafe, said in a statement. “Our mission is to make the world a safer place and break down the barriers to call for help. Apple Watch is just the first step in our plans to allow you — and the people you care about — to live more confidently every day, using the devices you’re most comfortable with.”

The new Wearsafe app works in conjunction — or independent of — the Wearsafe Tag. It’s compatible with all generations of the Apple Watch running on WatchOS 3 (and iOS 10 or newer) and installed just like any other Apple Watch app — through the iTunes App Store.

You will need a subscription to make use of it, though. Wearsafe’s cloud-based subscription service starts at $5 per month for 12 months.

The Wearsafe Tag, a fabric loop and ring attachment that’s slightly larger than a keychain or bracelet, is Bluetooth-based, waterproof, and works up to 200 feet away. It comes with a clip and ring attachment, lasts up to six months on a single charge, and retails for $30. It’s available free to new subscribers for a limited time.

Wearsafe aims to save 10 million lives over the next several years.

“Our goal is to make integrating Wearsafe into your life as easy as possible. The future of wearables is limitless, and we’ll continue to work to ensure that Wearsafe will work with whatever wearable you choose.”

Kyle Wiggers
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kyle Wiggers is a writer, Web designer, and podcaster with an acute interest in all things tech. When not reviewing gadgets…
Check your Apple Watch tomorrow for a special running challenge
Exercise data showing on the Apple Watch Series 9.

The Global Running Day Challenge for 2024 is shown on an iPhone and an Appel Watch. Bryan M. Wolfe / Digital Trends

Tomorrow, June 5, is Global Running Day. To celebrate, Apple has introduced a unique running challenge for Apple Watch owners. The new challenge requires participants to complete a 5 kilometer or longer running activity on June 5. The activity can be done on the road, trail, track, or treadmill.

Read more
The Apple Watch is the best iPhone camera accessory you didn’t know you needed
A person wearing an Apple Watch Series 9, made for the OuttaFocus column.

Photo taken with an iPhone 15 Pro Max controlled using an Apple Watch Series 9. Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Smartwatches and cameras rarely go together very well. We’ve seen smart wristwear with cameras fitted in the past, but the combination wasn’t very successful, and few manufacturers even bother today.

Read more
This Apple Watch X concept is absolutely absurd
The Apple Watch X concept comes from the German design firm Wordsmatter.

Later this year or in 2025, Apple is expected to release the tenth-generation Apple Watch, which could be called the "Apple Watch X" — similar to how the 10th iPhone was named the iPhone X. This release is highly anticipated, and third-party designers are already creating concepts for it. One such design has caught our attention.

Designer Lukas Gehrer at the German design agency Wordsmattr came up with an extraordinary concept. It's a fun design that's quite over the top. The Apple Watch X design looks much like the Apple Watch Ultra 2, but with thinner and curved edges. It's made of dark titanium, different from the natural titanium used in the current Apple Watch Ultra and its predecessor. A Space Gray or Space Black titanium Apple Watch has also been long-rumored, but hasn't happened yet.

Read more