Skip to main content

Google is turning Android phones into an earthquake tracking system

Google announced a slew of updates to Android phones on Tuesday, including the ability to detect earthquakes.

The Android Earthquake Alerts System works anywhere in the world and turns every Android device into a mini seismometer. Google says it is the largest earthquake detection network in the world.

“All smartphones come with tiny accelerometers that can sense signals that indicate an earthquake might be happening. If the phone detects something that it thinks may be an earthquake, it sends a signal to our earthquake detection server, along with a coarse location of where the shaking occurred,” wrote Marc Stogaitis, the Principal Software Engineer at Google, in a blog post.

Earthquake alerts, now part of Android

This crowdsourced earthquake detection system will allow for more accurate Google alerts and resources if you search “earthquake near me” after feeling trembles.

Tuesday’s update also includes earthquake alerts to Android devices in California through a collaboration with the United States Geological Survey and California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. The technology uses signals from more than 700 seismometers across the state to warn you to take cover before shaking even begins.

Google said it’s working on bringing the earthquake alerts to other states besides California over the next year.

The updates come just one day after Southern California experienced a 4.6 magnitude earthquake. According to the National Earthquake Information Center, there are about 20,000 earthquakes in the U.S. per year.

Technology like Google’s will help with early detection for these quakes, but there’s even more advanced machine-learning technology that can predict major tremors by analyzing acoustic signals to find failing fault lines.

Editors' Recommendations

Allison Matyus
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Allison Matyus is a general news reporter at Digital Trends. She covers any and all tech news, including issues around social…
How to save text messages on iPhone and Android
iMessage on an iPhone.

We receive a lot of important information via text. Whether it’s a date you need to set or important work-related info, you might find yourself wanting to save a text message. Modern smartphones all offer a way to back up your core data and transfer it to another device. However, transfers sometimes don’t include your text messages unless you save them ahead of time or are transferring across the same mobile operating system.

Here's how to save your text messages in Android and iOS.
How to save your text messages on iPhone
There are multiple ways to backup your iPhone text messages. Here are the easiest.
How to make iPhone text message backups using iExplorer
The most universal method of saving your iPhone text messages is via the iExplorer program.

Read more
How to turn your old phone into a security camera

If you're like most people, you've probably amassed a drawer of unused electronics over the years. Many of these are probably smartphones -- after all, carriers offer great promotions nowadays, giving you a chance to upgrade your device every two years without paying hefty fees. However, instead of letting your old smartphones collect dust (or worse, throwing them away), consider turning them into a makeshift security camera.

There are plenty of great iOS and Android apps available that help turn your old smartphone into a security camera. These work by using your old smartphone's built-in cameras to provide a live stream to your new smartphone. Best of all, many of these are affordable (or free) and work with just about any phone you might have purchased over the last decade.

Read more
This $375 Android phone surprised the heck out of me
Person holding the POCO X6 Pro in hand in front of a bunch of flowers.

"There's plenty of fish in the sea." Besides its usual romantic denotation, the idiom fits the segment of Android phones very well. Android phones come with countess variations that go unseen or underappreciated in the shadow of the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy phones. There will be an Android device for every (reasonable) permutation of specifications you can conceive.

But, the Poco X6 Pro is unlike other fish in the sea. For its launch price of 350 euros (around $375 USD), the mid-ranger from Xiaomi's spin-off brand (and successor to the Poco X5 Pro we reviewed last year) is packed with many features that feel unusual at this price. Besides being classified as a mid-range Android phone, the Poco X6 Pro aspires to compete with flagships -- or flagship killers.

Read more