Yeah, but I think this should be in every phone in the world.
Yeah, But you're not Tim Cook.
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Early Earthquake Warning System in iOS 5 for Japanese Users
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Yeah, But you're not Tim Cook.
Its a shame that most Japanese people know that detection of Earthquakes are only minutes in advance hence the disaster of the 9.0 earthquake and the many causalities and another terrible thing is that a majority of the people in Japan dont own iPhones, they run docomo or Android au. Sorry Apple, you lost this one.
In the event of a major earthquake even a matter of seconds to get under a table or out of a building can be crucial. Most of the casualties from the March 11th earthquake were as a result of poorly executed tsunami evacuations as well as tsunami shelters themselves being in the path of the unexpectedly huge waves. Some of the hardest hit locations by tsunami occurred over an hour after the initial earthquake. So the time was not a factor there.
This is simply wrong. The iPhone is the top-selling handset in Japan.
It has also led to an incredible profit surge for Softbank, the sole carrier with the iPhone here.
Everywhere I go here I see iPhones.
Apple knows where their bread is buttered, trust me.
If only we had a good network
This feature looks nice, save for one crippling deficiency, right now iPhones(and iPads bought inside Japan) are consigned to by far the worst network in Japan. Softbank is an absolute joke of a network, I dont live too far outside of Tokyo and I swear the amount of time I dont get signal is at least equal to the amount of time that I do.....not to mention its SLOOOOOOOOOOOOW. And their customer service is the absolute worst.
Even in Tokyo the speed is nowhere near the speed I had in the middle of nowhere Germany with Vodafone. Hopefully Apple will wise up to what a joke of a network Softbank is and how much it is hurting them and finally release a model for either NTT or KDDI's network(the advertising on the former practically writes itself, the KDDiPhone)
When my contract is up next year I am getting rid of Softbank, even if it means switching to Android. Softbank sucks.
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Except that list doesnt actually tell you how much each one sold, just the top 10. So Android could still lead iOS by a significant margin, but since there are so many different Android handsets, if you just look at the handset sales Apple may still come out on top.
Softbank is just a joke of a network compared to AU and Docomo, Apple could really be cleaning up IMO if they would release the iPhone for at least one other carrier. I know lots of people, myself included, that either have iPhones or had iPhones and will not be getting another unless they can ditch Softbank.
This feature looks nice, save for one crippling deficiency, right now iPhones(and iPads bought inside Japan) are consigned to by far the worst network in Japan. Softbank is an absolute joke of a network, I dont live too far outside of Tokyo and I swear the amount of time I dont get signal is at least equal to the amount of time that I do.....not to mention its SLOOOOOOOOOOOOW. And their customer service is the absolute worst.
Even in Tokyo the speed is nowhere near the speed I had in the middle of nowhere Germany with Vodafone. Hopefully Apple will wise up to what a joke of a network Softbank is and how much it is hurting them and finally release a model for either NTT or KDDI's network(the advertising on the former practically writes itself, the KDDiPhone)
When my contract is up next year I am getting rid of Softbank, even if it means switching to Android. Softbank sucks.
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Except that list doesnt actually tell you how much each one sold, just the top 10. So Android could still lead iOS by a significant margin, but since there are so many different Android handsets, if you just look at the handset sales Apple may still come out on top.
Softbank is just a joke of a network compared to AU and Docomo, Apple could really be cleaning up IMO if they would release the iPhone for at least one other carrier. I know lots of people, myself included, that either have iPhones or had iPhones and will not be getting another unless they can ditch Softbank.
Ah, no...
This system has been available on most cell phones for quite some time. This isn't, as you seem to imply, an Apple exclusive system. Like the previous responder said, most of the casualties from the big one in March were from the tsunami. The early warning system is a Japanese government run operation. It is not without its faults, but it is so much better than not having one at all. Unlike what you seem to be trying to say, Apple putting this into the OS of the iPhone is, to use Japanese, "atari mae" and a "win" for Apple. (atari mae = "of course" or "it goes without saying")
This system has been available on most cell phones for quite some time. This isn't, as you seem to imply, an Apple exclusive system. Like the previous responder said, most of the casualties from the big one in March were from the tsunami. The early warning system is a Japanese government run operation. It is not without its faults, but it is so much better than not having one at all. Unlike what you seem to be trying to say, Apple putting this into the OS of the iPhone is, to use Japanese, "atari mae" and a "win" for Apple. (atari mae = "of course" or "it goes without saying")
Every world government should follow Japan's lead.
Not just for earth quakes but for all significant events.
If they already have the support of major Telco's and Phone makers then it's sounds like this would make the ideal system to build on. At least to cover the communication side of the warning system. If it's something people turn on and leave on regardless of which country they are in better still.
Sure governments still need to back it up with detection systems.
Not just for earth quakes but for all significant events.
If they already have the support of major Telco's and Phone makers then it's sounds like this would make the ideal system to build on. At least to cover the communication side of the warning system. If it's something people turn on and leave on regardless of which country they are in better still.
Sure governments still need to back it up with detection systems.
If only iOS 5 could tell if you're driving and turn the phone off.
One of the most intelligent posts on MacRumours....
I'd opt for emitting a skull-splitting screech if the phone were used while driving though, not just silence.
We're not on top of the San Andreas - 1 Infinite Loop is 6 km away from the San Andreas.
Few people realize that some of the most powerful earthquakes ever to hit the US were in the midwest.
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While I would have preferred to get an iPhone with Docomo if it was available, I've found the Softbank network to be more than adequate.
Living and working in Tokyo, I get great speeds and rarely ever lose the signal. I've speed tested the network at lots of different spots around the city and I usually see between 2-5 Mbps. And this isn't central Tokyo but out west about 20-30 minutes. Whenever I go into the heart of the city I find my phone to be even snappier accessing the web.
Even at my wife's parent's place, which is a farm in the middle of Nowhere, Japan, I get about 2 Mbps and it's plenty to stream Slingbox.
I haven't really shared your bad experiences with Softbank. I've been with the company for about 14 years, through their period as J-Phone and then Vodafone and finally Softbank.
That said, I hope you get your alternative carrier. I was sure AU was going to get the CDMA iPhone after Verizon did in the US. I don't see why they don't. Perhaps with the iPhone 5 you'll get your wish.
Definitely awesome to see Apple working so closely with the Japanese to bring this to their demographic as a standard feature.
It's a really exciting infrastructure, and one that I hope the US will adopt soon.
Though it's astonishing that we don't already have a similar system in California, much of the infrastructure is already in place; we just need implementation. Currently the USGS is planning the "California Integrated Seismic Network (CISN) ShakeAlert System" which will operate in a manner similar to Japan's Earthquake Early Warning system. Unfortunately I believe it'll still be a few years before we see the system operable. USGS link
Though it's astonishing that we don't already have a similar system in California, much of the infrastructure is already in place; we just need implementation. Currently the USGS is planning the "California Integrated Seismic Network (CISN) ShakeAlert System" which will operate in a manner similar to Japan's Earthquake Early Warning system. Unfortunately I believe it'll still be a few years before we see the system operable. USGS link
It could indeed be that Android devices still outnumber iPhone but it's narrowing.
I think the profit details from the WSJ article I linked are the most impressive indicator.
Japan's third largest mobile carrier by subscriber numbers recorded a net profit of ¥94.79 billion ($1.22 billion) for the fiscal first quarter from April to June, up sharply from ¥19.44 billion in the year-earlier period.
LOL. You should be fine, then.
New Madrid: biggest. SAF, far, far more common...and still quite big.
Although, I think your Cali neighbors to the south are going to need this functionality before Bay area folks.
I have this but have mixed feelings about it
I have this but have mixed feelings about it. There are so many earthquakes this year and this early warning just makes you sick to your stomach during the 30 seconds you are waiting for the quake to arrive.
It is usually small and centered somewhere else so you don't really have to do anything but now I get to feel sick for an extra 30 seconds about once or twice a week.
The little 4 year olds start to cry when they hear your alarm.
By the way I lived in SF for a while before I came to Japan. Japan is in its own league when it comes to strength and frequency
I have this but have mixed feelings about it. There are so many earthquakes this year and this early warning just makes you sick to your stomach during the 30 seconds you are waiting for the quake to arrive.
It is usually small and centered somewhere else so you don't really have to do anything but now I get to feel sick for an extra 30 seconds about once or twice a week.
The little 4 year olds start to cry when they hear your alarm.
By the way I lived in SF for a while before I came to Japan. Japan is in its own league when it comes to strength and frequency
Great! addition I had the app' Quakes installed I got the alert for the Japanese earth quake in time to go the the NHK app and was able to watch the Tsunamis come on shore in real time. Spell binding, and horrifying seeing people washed away. All this from an iPod Touch 4G.
On Japanese phones, you can set it so it will only warn you if the expected shaking is going to be over a certain level. My wife's phone is set to notify us if the shaking is at least shindo 5.
I agree that getting a warning when it's a small earthquake is unnecessary stress...especially in the weeks following the big quake in March.
This is very cool, and helpful but by early warning do they mean that the warning is based off generated charts. but the question is how do they decide what will be sent out, regardless it can be a potential life saver. Its almost like how all cell carriers in Ny City have to send out alerts for horrible events. It was passed like a month or to ago in response to 9-11.
That's what I thought about it, too. Although, I do have to say that the thought that we're "overdue" for an earthquake is really like a fairy tale because just exactly how stresses work and where those stresses will trigger the next earthquake are not known as exact science. So there are only a few geolists who think we're "due for a big one," and many others who think small earthquakes help to relieve that stress instead of gear it toward a "big one."
It would be cool if Apple implemented this everywhere else though... Like Hawaii, California, Alaska, etc.
Added Functionality
In addition to Earthquake warning system, what about Forest fire, Flood, Bizzard, Tornado and Hurricane. Having lived through Katrina, I realized that even with only a few days prior to the hurricane hitting New Orleans, many people didn't know about the imminent danger. Lots of people don't keep up with the news.
An early warning system integrated into the OS is overdue. We get weather alerts and auction alerts, why not a warning before something deadly hits our Zip Code?
In addition to Earthquake warning system, what about Forest fire, Flood, Bizzard, Tornado and Hurricane. Having lived through Katrina, I realized that even with only a few days prior to the hurricane hitting New Orleans, many people didn't know about the imminent danger. Lots of people don't keep up with the news.
An early warning system integrated into the OS is overdue. We get weather alerts and auction alerts, why not a warning before something deadly hits our Zip Code?
Nice feature to have it build in as sometimes I stop the current app Yurekuru and forget to restart. It's really nice to get some seconds before and look aft the kids and some safety way.
Nice move Apple ! Thanks.
PS: someone saw it in the latest Beta 6 ?
Nice move Apple ! Thanks.
PS: someone saw it in the latest Beta 6 ?
not to mention the entire pacific west coast including seattle and Vancouver where I am. This is really cool and hopefully will save a lot of lives, but does Cascadia + California have the infrastructure for this