Good News: Smartwatch will tell you in advance if an earthquake is about to happen, Google is making big preparations..

Google's earthquake warning feature, which was till now limited to Android smartphones only, is now being made available in smartwatches running on Wear OS as well. According to Google's recent system release notes, this feature will now also warn of earthquakes to those users who use smartwatches equipped with Wear OS. Google's earthquake detection system was first introduced in Android smartphones in August 2020. Over time, it was gradually implemented in many areas and India also became a part of it in September 2023.

How does this system work?

This system of Google does not depend on special seismic equipment but uses the motion sensors already present in millions of Android phones around the world. When multiple phones in a single area feel vibrations simultaneously, Google's servers analyze that data to decide whether it is an earthquake or not.

If confirmed, a warning is sent to nearby users a few seconds in advance. This warning shows the estimated intensity of the earthquake and the distance from the epicenter. This few seconds of information also gives people a chance to go to a safe place or be alert.

Now alerts on smartwatches too.

According to Google, smartwatches running on Wear OS are now going to get this feature. This means that even if your phone is not with you or is on silent mode, your smartwatch can still inform you about the earthquake through vibration or alert on your wrist. Especially for those users who have LTE-enabled smartwatches and who stay outside without a phone, this feature can prove to be even more useful.

At the moment it is not clear how the alerts will appear on the smartwatch, but they will likely be similar to the alerts received on the phone, that is, with information like intensity and distance from the epicenter. A mild alert will be received for small earthquakes, while for large tremors, loud sound, and visual warnings can also be received, even if the 'Do Not Disturb' mode is on.

When will this feature come to India?

At present, there is no official information about the launch of this smartwatch feature in India. Like Android phones, it is possible that this feature will also be rolled out in a phased manner in some regions first and then released widely. It could be a major update or it could be added gradually in the background.

While this feature cannot prevent any disaster, timely warnings can prove to help save lives. A few seconds of warning can allow taking the right action at the right time, whether it is hiding under the table, moving away from the window or just being mentally prepared.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from Amar Ujala. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.