Google’s earthquake warning service, which was limited to Android smartphones till now, is now being made available in smartwatches running on Wear OS. This has been mentioned in Google’s recent system release notes and Android Authority first reported this update.
This technology of Google does not depend on any traditional seismometer. Its specialty is that it uses motion sensors installed in millions of Android devices around the world. When many smartphones in an area simultaneously feel vibrations in the ground, Google’s servers immediately analyze that data and decide whether it is really an earthquake. If confirmed, an alert is sent to people in the affected areas a few seconds in advance so that they can take themselves to a safe place or be alert.
Now this facility is also coming to smartwatches. This means that even if your phone is not nearby or is on silent mode, your watch can still give you an earthquake warning signal on your hand itself. This can prove to be especially useful for those who use smartwatches with LTE connectivity and do not always carry the phone with them.
It is not yet confirmed how the alert will appear on the smartwatch screen, but it is expected that it will be similar to what appears on Android phones, such as the estimated intensity and your distance from the epicenter of the earthquake. For mild tremors, a normal notification will come which will not affect the current settings of the phone or watch, but in case of a strong earthquake, a strong alert and visual warning can be given, even if the device is in ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode.
This technology can be very beneficial for those areas where there is a risk of earthquakes. Even though it cannot stop any disaster, if people get information even a few seconds in advance, then the chances of saving lives can increase manifold, such as moving away from windows, hiding under the table or getting mentally prepared.
It is not clear at the moment when this feature will be available in India. Just like it happened with Android, it is possible that it will be released in select regions first and then gradually made available to the rest of the regions. Whether it comes through a major software update or is quietly added in the background, it is certain that this can become the most important feature of Google smartwatch.
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