You'll never know that someday your smartwatch can save you, surprisingly. With regards to safety-related updates, Google is rolling out one of its most important Android features: the earthquake early warning system to Wear OS smartwatches.

Initially released in 2020 for Android smartphones, the feature leverages the strength of distributed sensors on mobile devices to identify seismic motion and warn users mere seconds before an earthquake hits. Smartwatch owners will now also be given these life-saving warnings, providing them with an added advantage in safety during natural disasters.

How Useful are Google's Earthquake Alerts

Google Earthquake Detection Comes to Wear OS Watches; Life-Saving Alerts Google Earthquake Detection Comes to Wear OS Watches; Life-Saving Alerts

Google's earthquake detection system uses the accelerometers in Android phones as mini seismometers. When numerous devices shake at the same time, the system estimates the location and magnitude of the quake using crowdsourced information.

According to Android Authority, there are two types of alerts depending on how strong the quake was:

Be Aware Alert will be activated in response to light shaking. This alert softly comes without overwriting Do Not Disturb or sound options.

Take Action Alert is for more serious cases. For more intense quakes with moderate or extreme shaking, a loud alarm and red warning screen are activated even if your phone is set to silent. It also shows safety tips, providing users valuable seconds to seek shelter.

Now that these alerts are making their way to Wear OS, smartwatch users can receive real-time notifications. Receiving safety updates is critical even if your phone isn't in your hand.

Earthquake Alerts Now on Your Wrist

As per Google's June 2025 Google Play services v25.21 update, Android's earthquake-detecting system is being rolled out to Wear OS devices. This will mean that when an earthquake is detected, particularly those with a magnitude of 4.5 or higher, users are alerted via their wrist.

The alerts should display:

  • The approximate magnitude of the earthquake
  • The epicenter distance
  • An easy-to-view visual warning interface

Though Google has not yet officially announced the rollout, the update notes indicate that it's in the pipeline—either this month as part of the update or further down the line with Wear OS 6.

Smart Safety on Smart Devices

The typical individual might ignore earthquake warnings until they really do need them, but in that instant, they could be the difference between life and death.

Wearables are already a part of everyday life for notifications, health, and activity tracking. Enabling real-time natural disaster alerts is a huge step in mobile emergency preparedness.

For residents of earthquake-risk zones like California, Japan, the Philippines, and Turkey, this release provides an effective and easy-to-use means of enhancing response time in the case of a quake. As they always say, earthquakes are unpredictable, so preparation is always the key.

Originally published on Tech Times

Google Earthquake