Google has announced that Wear OS devices will now receive earthquake alerts independently of smartphone connectivity, as noted in the latest Google Play Services release notes.
Previously, Google integrated Android's Earthquake Alerts System into Wear OS, but the feature only mirrored alerts from connected smartphones.
Now, even if your phone is out of range, your Wear OS watch can still notify you about earthquakes. However, this functionality likely requires a standalone internet connection, making it applicable primarily to watches with built-in mobile data capabilities.
The Earthquake Alerts System operates by analyzing aggregated sensor data from millions of smartphones. When a phone's accelerometer detects potential earthquake vibrations, it sends this information, along with its location, to Google's servers. If numerous alerts come from nearby locations, a warning is triggered.
It remains uncertain whether Google intends to incorporate sensor data from Wear OS watches into this alert system in the future.
Via
