Google in one of the latest studies confirmed the effectiveness of the warning system about earthquakes on Android.
This function is based on an accelerometer, which is usually used to determine changes in the movement and orientation of the device in order to ensure fixing speed and auto -convert. In smartphones, accelerometers are usually installed that measure acceleration along the three axes: horizontally, vertically, depth. From such accelerometers, the warning system about earthquakes from Google and collects data from smartphones to detect seismic activity.
According to Android Authority observers, the accelerometer can also determine the vibrations of the soil during the earthquake. Together, these data and approximate geolocation of the user are sent to Google servers to detect earthquakes that analyze data from many phones in the area to confirm the fact of the earthquake and determine its location and magnitude.
Over the past four years, the system recorded more than 18,000 earthquakes and warned about this “millions of people in almost 100 countries”. Users receive a warning at least 15 seconds before the start of the earthquake, if they are closest to the epicenter, if further – in about a minute. This increases the chances and gives at least some odds for taking precautions.
This function appeared on Android in 2020, and in September 2024, Google expanded its effect on all US states. In addition, earthquakes recently appeared on Wear OS for smart hours.
