Circulating reports from owners of the Verizon Fascinate, a Galaxy S handset, suggest the latest over-the-air update has disabled the Emergency calling feature in a handset that is locked using a pattern. This glitch does not effect day-to-day operation of the phone but it would have an impact in an emergency situation. Samsung has responded to these reports with the following statement sent to Android Central:
It has come to the attention of Samsung Mobile during the recent DL09 OTA (Over-the-Air) update for the Samsung Fascinate that some users utilizing the Pattern Lock are finding that the Emergency Call shortcut is not automatically launching the dialer. However, unlocking the device will allow the user to make calls as they normally would, including emergency calls. We apologize for the inconvenience and are continuing to evaluate the issue, including if the issue is linked to the update.
While you wait for Samsung to look into the problem and potentially issue an update, Verizon Fascinate owners may be wise to disable the pattern lock. We will keep you updated on this situation and will let you know if Samsung makes another official statement or issues an update for this glitch.
[Via Android Central]