Google's earthquake detection feature, which has been available on Android phones for some time, is now coming to Wear OS smartwatches. This was stated in the Google system release notes. Android Authority first reported this. The new feature will warn Wear OS users of earthquakes on their wrists. Google's earthquake detection feature has been on Android smartphones since August 2020. This service gradually spread to many areas, including India, in September 2023.

The method of the earthquake detection system is quite smart. It does not depend only on dedicated seismometers. Google utilizes motion sensors present in millions of Android smartphones worldwide. When several phones in an area simultaneously detect ground shaking, Google's servers quickly analyze the data and confirm that it is an earthquake. If so, the system sends an early warning to nearby users. These alerts usually show the estimated intensity and distance from the epicenter. In such a critical situation, even a few seconds of warning can help people move to a safe place or take cover.

Now, this alert system is expected to come to Wear OS smartwatches. According to Google's latest system release notes, users will get an alert on their smartwatch when there is a possibility of an earthquake in their area. That is, even if your phone is not nearby or is on silent mode, the smartwatch can still inform you of an earthquake. At the same time, it will be even more useful for those users who do not carry a phone with them and are LTE-enabled watch users.

It is not officially confirmed how the alert will look on the smartwatch, but it is expected to be like Android phones. That is, you can see the estimated intensity of the earthquake and the distance from the epicenter. Alerts will be different depending on the severity of the earthquake. A simple warning will be received on mild tremors that will not disturb the existing settings, while in case of a strong earthquake, a loud alert and visual warning will be received even on Do Not Disturb mode.

This feature is especially helpful for those living in earthquake-prone areas. Even if it cannot prevent the disaster, a few seconds of warning can make a big difference. You can get time to get under the table, move away from the window, or prepare mentally. At present, the official date of availability of this feature in India has not been announced yet. It is possible that, like Android phones, the rollout will be gradual.