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iOS 5 features earthquake warning notifications for Japanese iPhone users and at the very bottom of the iOS 5 Notification Center Settings Menu, Japanese iPhone users have a switch that enables or disables the earthquake notifications. iOS 5 includes a feature for Japanese users which if turned on will alert them of an impending Earthquake in their area and with this feature built-in to iOS 5, Japanese users will no longer have to rely on third-party apps in order to take advantage of quake warnings on their iPhone…………….

iPhone users in Japan will have the option to receive notifications from Japan‘s advanced earthquake early-warning system in iOS 5 and 9to5 Mac has published a screenshot of a toggle in iOS 5 that can be enabled via the Settings app under Notifications that will be accessible to users in Japan. As you can see above, all the user has to do is flick a switch to start receiving these notifications. According to Time, who profiled Japan’s earthquake warning system earlier this year, the system gives warnings from seconds to one or two minutes before the earthquake hits. Time also explains the history of the system:

Japan has the most advanced earthquake early-warning system in the world. A nationwide online system launched in 2007, it detects tremors, calculates an earthquake’s epicenter and sends out brief warnings from its 1,000-plus seismographs scattered throughout the country, one of the most earthquake-prone nations on the planet.

Apple’s built-in earthquake notification system will be a nice replacement for those in Japan who rely on earthquake warning applications from the App Store such as Yurekuru Call. For those who cannot read the text above, it also warns that the feature may reduce your battery life because it is always connected to Japan’s earthquake warning system. This new notification options truly showcases Apple’s commitment to safety for those in Japan.

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