earthquake early warning on iOS5 (lower setting)
9to5 Mac is reporting today that Apple will bring an early earthquake warning to the upcoming iOS 5. EEW is a common feature on phones in Japan, although to my knowledge most handsets from overseas manufacturers haven’t supported it.
It’s a welcome addition for Softbank, the iPhone’s carrier in Japan, as it has been slower to adopt early warning on its phones than competing carriers. As of March of this year, only its 831N supported the system.
When we questioned Softbank Mobile Corp about this back at the Global Mobile Internet Conference in Beijing, executive vice president Ted Mastumoto reiterated Softbank’s previous commitment to improve on this point.
While there have been third-party apps to provide users with warnings in the past, it’s great to see that Apple has jumped behind this in iOS 5. I’ve heard some people assert that a few seconds of warning don’t matter in the event of an earthquake. But even if it helps just a handful of people, then it’s a worthwhile undertaking.
[Photo: @yabeaki]
Stay updated on the go with our mobile app.
Get latest insights with smoother, more personalized experience through TIA mobile app.
