Maybe Smartwatches Aren't That Bad?
Byron Bay, Australia - 13 July 2024: While body surfing off Byron Bay, Australia, 49-year-old Rick Shearman was unexpectedly swept over a kilometer out to sea by a powerful rip current. Despite his apparent swimming prowess, the relentless waves and currents rendered his efforts to return futile. Treading water and becoming more fatigued with each passing moment, Shearman understood he was in a life-and-death situation.
Utilizing his Apple Watch's “Emergency SOS” feature, Shearman managed to contact emergency services while struggling to stay afloat. Despite the challenging conditions, including strong winds and high waves, the watch connected him with a dispatcher who remained on the line, providing a crucial link until help could arrive. Remarkably, the call was recorded.
Rick Shearman's rescue caught on camera, notice the Apple Watch on the left wrist.
The precise GPS data transmitted over the cellular network by Shearman's Apple Watch enabled a swift rescue operation. A Westpac Rescue Helicopter was dispatched, locating Shearman and hoisting him to safety. The entire operation, from the SOS call to the successful rescue, was completed in approximately 20 minutes. He later credited the smartwatch with saving his life, stating, "I wouldn't be here today without it." Amazing.
But W.O.E., I Thought Apple Watches Were for Nerds?
At W.O.E., we aren't big fans of smartwatches, preferring analog tool watches over the increasingly hyper-connected lifestyle. I have written extensively about the counterintelligence risks of smartwatches for CIA officers and even penned a somewhat prescient, open letter to Vice President JD Vance about the risks of wearing an Apple Watch as the second most powerful person in the world.
Rick in a posed scene for “Rick’s Rescue,” an Apple advertisement about the rescue. (Photo Credit: Apple)
That said, we are by no means anti-technology and believe that as private citizens and intelligence professionals, we should constantly assess the risk vs reward of leveraging technology for operations and everyday tasks. As a society, we are overreliant on technology, but the Apple Watch, Garmin models, and other wearables do offer tangible benefits that, for some, may outweigh the risks, and they may even save your life.
A Lifeline In Remote Emergencies
Shearman is not alone. In 2024, a man was thrown from his jet ski in Lake Michigan and, after losing his phone, used his Apple Watch’s SOS feature to call for help, prompting a swift rescue by a helicopter and emergency boats. The same year, a mountain biker in California was left paralyzed after a crash and used his to contact emergency services when his phone was inaccessible, ultimately surviving and beginning a long recovery. These are just three examples of many where the smartwatch bridged the critical gap between isolation and rescue.
How it Works - Emergency SOS
The Emergency SOS feature on the Apple Watch allows users to quickly call for help and alert emergency contacts with just the press of a button. When activated—by holding the side button—it automatically calls local emergency services and shares your real-time location. If you have a cellular model (like the Apple Watch Ultra), it can do this independently, without needing your iPhone nearby. For GPS-only models, the watch must be connected to your phone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Once triggered, the watch can also send a message to your emergency contacts with updates if your location changes. Despite being a piece of technology, the Apple Watch Ultra is built for extreme conditions, offering advanced GPS, cellular connectivity, and rugged durability with a titanium case and 100-meter water resistance, making it a reliable tool for both adventure and emergencies.
Of note, Apple has announced plans to introduce satellite communication capabilities to its smartwatches, making cell service unnecessary. For anyone operating in austere environments outside the limits of cell service, this could be a game-changer.
The Tudor FXD on a Glomar Explorer strap is the perfect watch for the alpine environment. It sits flat on the wrist, light because it is titanium, and the chances of it falling off while taking off your gloves is near zero.
Beyond The Buoy & Boundary Line
Two of my passions are skiing and long open water swims. In the winter, I make at least a couple of pilgrimages out west, and in the summer, I often find the nearest body of water and swim across it. I prefer to use analog tools as the activities allow me to disconnect from the technical world. Simple pleasures.
While I rarely think about it, these are inherently “dangerous” activities in even the best of conditions. A broken femur on the Minturn mile backcountry ski route or a severe leg cramp in the middle of a mile-wide lake could lead to death, even on a clear day, if outside of voice shot from the nearest weekend warrior.
I can see a valid argument for integrating an Apple Ultra 2 into these activities. The same could be said of scuba diving, mountaineering, or anything that puts you out of your comfort zone, and potentially your life at risk. Shearman’s rescue is a reminder that in potentially unpredictable environments, the right tools—and a bit of preparedness—can mean the difference between survival and tragedy.
Early Breitling Emergency prototypes at the Breitling museum in Zürich, Switzerland. (Photo Credit: W.O.E.)
Is The Breitling Emergency Obsolete?
For many within the W.O.E. community, the Breitling Emergency is considered the ultimate tool watch flex, designed with a built-in distress beacon and developed for pilots, adventurers, and those operating on the edge. But even with the 2013 update with a dual-frequency beacon that transmits signals on both 121.5 MHz and 406 MHz frequencies, allowing the watch to communicate with the Cospas-Sarsat international satellite system, the technology is borderline obsolete.
When Shearman was swept out to sea, it wasn’t a $15,000 Swiss-made tool watch that saved him. It was an $800 smartwatch. One button press. Live call. GPS sent. Rescue launched. No antennas, no drama, only twenty minutes, and no question of “will this actually work?” The Apple Watch Ultra did exactly what it was built to do. The Breitling may still win on nostalgia and form factor, but when it comes to function, the game has changed. Part of the Use Your Tools ethos is understanding that sometimes, the best tool is the most functional one and not necessarily the most romantic or interesting.
Benefits For The SOF Community
In addition to their lifesaving capabilities, smartwatches offer significant fitness tracking and health benefits to produce more effective warfighters. That said, if you are an active duty CIA officer or member of an elite (read Tier 1/Special Mission Unit) SOF unit, you should not wear an Apple Watch, full stop. You are a target of hostile intelligence services that are terrifyingly capable.
An East Coast-based SEAL participates in a training exercise while wearing a Garmin smartwatch. (Photo Credit: US Navy)
If you absolutely need something to track your hot yoga sessions, there are more secure (read less vulnerable) tools like the various Garmin models with a built-in “kill switch” and other safety measures. While I still believe anything technical can be exploited, this at least provides some measure of safety. But for the average person, an Apple Watch is probably fine, depending on how much you trust Big Brother, whether corporate or government. (I would argue the former is more concerning than the latter.)
Will W.O.E. Go Buy An Apple Watch?
We are entering into the summer months, and soon I will be back in the water, regularly completing 1-2 mile open water swims. Mrs. W.O.E. will often quip, “Don’t die” as I am heading out the door, a demonstration of gallows humor based in reality. Starting at $799, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is a tempting hedge against an unlikely emergency with high stakes. Logically, it makes sense. Maybe I'll get one and let you know how I feel about it in a few months, assuming I survive.
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14 comments
On training days when family safety is a priority, you can always follow the common practice: double watch it. I wear the Ultra on one wrist for communication and the Garmin on my main wrist to monitor my activities. After that, I switch back to mechanical watches.
My neighbor’s apple watch detected he was in Afib, after which he went to the ER and it may have potentially saved his life.
The problem with smart watches is that they can never be heirloom pieces due to design obsolesce.
My main concern about smartwatches goes beyond the “Big Brother” issue.
In Brazil, organized crime is becoming increasingly sophisticated.
If you make your location data easily accessible, you might become a target.
However, I understand that it also depends on how you use your smartwatch, just like people who share their real-time location on social media.
If you really want to keep your analog watch and still have a tracking device for outdoor activities—only when you choose to—then the Spot Gen 4 might be a good option.
I have a Garmin Instinct 2x that contacts designated people should I have a hard fall (or I can activate it myself). That keeps the calvary from coming for no reason (and me getting the bill!). That being said, I wear real watches most of the time.