This Tool Can Save Your Life: Android Watches Gain Critical Upgrade
More than just new tricks, Google continues to equip Android with lifesaving features such as emergency alerts. Part of this initiative includes earthquake alerts, which use crowdsourced Android smartphones to detect seismic activity and warn users in affected regions. Now, this feature is set to expand to smartwatches.
Android’s earthquake alert system was launched in 2020. It relies on the Seismic Sensor Network in the US and crowdsourced detection for other parts of the globe. Using the latter, it transforms Android smartphones into sensors themselves, utilizing accelerometers to detect vibrations. A tremor is confirmed if multiple devices in a given area detect the movements.
This system works for light, moderate, and heavy earthquake events, warning users before the major shaking occurs. For earthquakes above 4.5 magnitude, it provides users with details like strength and distance to the epicenter, along with safety measures on what to do during the event.
Seismic Alerts on Your Wrist
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As spotted in the release notes of the latest update to Google Play services, version 25.21, the earthquake alert feature is heading to Wear OS smartwatches. The note states that users will receive alerts on their Wear OS smartwatch when “an earthquake is expected to cause shaking.” The feature is currently rolling out via a server-side update.
However, Google has not yet disclosed the full details of how this will function on smartwatches, but it is believed the feature will be similar to the alerts given to Android smartphones. It will likely work on both GPS-only and cellular-capable Wear OS watches. The internet search giant could shed more details about the expansion of the tool to Wear OS in the near future.
The addition of earthquake alerts to Wear OS is a vital enhancement for users who wear their smartwatch most of the time, and it will also supplement the alerts received on their smartphones.
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For smartphones, the earthquake alert system is available even on earlier Android OS versions. However, it typically requires activation within the Safety & Emergency settings for Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy devices, which subsequently will enable the alerts in the smartwatch.
Have you switched on or used any of the safety and emergency features on your Android devices? What are your thoughts on this upgrade to Wear OS? Let us know in the comments.
