Apple has swiftly rolled out an urgent iOS 26 update targeting the iPhone 12, specifically to resolve a compatibility problem with Australia’s emergency call system. The update notification clarifies that this latest version “addresses a mobile network issue for iPhone 12 models when establishing a connection to emergency services in Australia.”

This move comes on the heels of thorough lab tests conducted by Australian telecommunications companies. These tests were prompted by the widespread Optus network outage in September, which sparked significant concerns over mobile phones’ ability to connect to emergency services during major network disruptions.

Earlier in the year, it was discovered that a similar issue affected 71 Samsung phone models. The problem stemmed from these devices being programmed to use the 3G network, a legacy from when Vodafone and TPG networks couldn’t support 4G voice calls until mid-2021.

Since then, 1.6 million Samsung phones have been updated to enable VoLTE support and facilitate emergency calls over the 4G network. However, approximately 98,000 devices remain operational on Australian networks without the necessary software upgrade, posing a continued risk in emergency situations.

While 1.6 million Samsung phones have since been updated to support VoLTE and emergency calls over 4G, around 98,000 devices remain active on Australian networks without the required software update.

Apple’s situation is different and at this stage, the details of the issue remain largely unclear.  The company’s support page for iOS 26.2 do not describe a specific fault, instead focusing on the importance of maintaining access to emergency services in Australia.

“Staying connected to emergency services is essential, especially in a country as expansive and geographically diverse as Australia,” Apple’s support page says.

“iPhone is designed with multiple layers of connectivity to help users reach emergency services, even when traditional cellular coverage may be limited.”

The company acknowledges the fix follows previous incidents affecting emergency calls, including cases where phones were unable to connect via an alternate network when their primary network was unavailable.

Telcos are continuing urgent testing of handsets in controlled lab environments, where 9News understands an extreme test of network failure scenarios identified an issue with the iPhone 12.

Apple stresses the issue would only arise under exceptional circumstances.

“In the rare event that these exceptional circumstances affecting mobile operators’ networks were to happen again, some older mobile phones may still encounter the same issue reaching emergency services through an alternate available network,” the company said.

Importantly, Apple confirms the issue does not affect older or newer models.

According to the support page, iPhone XS, iPhone XR, iPhone 11, and all iPhone models from iPhone 13 onward are not affected.

Only the iPhone 12 has this Triple Zero issue, with iOS 26.2 adding support for this specific emergency calling scenario, however all compatible iPhones will get the update as it includes other minor changes.

There is no problem with an iPhone 12 making Triple Zero calls under normal conditions, nor when roaming onto another available network in standard circumstances.

However, if a large-scale network failure similar to the Optus outage were to occur again, users running outdated software on an iPhone 12 could be at risk.

Apple has not disclosed how many iPhone 12 devices remain in use in Australia, but given the phone is around five years old, the number is expected to be significant.

Users are strongly advised to update immediately.

To update your phone, open the Settings app, then tap General, followed by Software Update, and install the latest version of iOS.

For all devices, it is highly recommended that you turn on automatic updates to ensure future security and safety updates are installed as soon as they are available.