Google launches air raid alerts system for Android phone users in Ukraine

Google confirmed it is incorporating air raid alerts issued by the Ukrainian government to be disseminated through Android phones. The company announced the update shortly after it was discovered in new code strings in a recent Google Play Services update.

Ukraine has been under attack for two weeks now after Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered a "special military operation" on Feb. 24. Missile attacks have become a common occurrence in various regions in Ukraine since then.

While Ukraine already has an air raid alert system warning its citizens when to take shelter, the government has requested to have these alerts integrated into people's mobile phones. In response, Google updated Android to incorporate such a feature.

In an update on Thursday, Google confirmed it is rolling out a "rapid Air Raid Alerts system" on Android phones "at the request and with the help of" the Ukrainian government. "This work is supplemental to the country's existing air raid alert systems, and based on alerts already being delivered by the Ukrainian government," the company said in a blog post update.

Android VP of engineering David Burke said on Twitter that the new safety feature leverages the operating system's existing "low latency alert mechanism … for earthquake alerts." He also thanked Android's product, engineering, and UX teams for swiftly coming up with a solution that could vastly help people in Ukraine. Burke confirmed the update has started rolling out on Thursday.

Just before the announcement, XDA Developers found new code strings added in Google Play Services version 22.06.15 that hinted at the addition of in-device air raid alerts. The codes were written in English in the report, but the publication noted they were also supported in Ukrainian and Russian localizations.

In one string, the Android air raid alert feature would tell users, "You may get a notification when the air raid alert is issued, and another notification when the air raid alert is canceled. The Government of Ukraine provides all air raid alert information." It also comes with a few "keep in mind" reminders advising that Android users might not receive alerts for all incoming air raids and that the phone notifications should not be used as the single source of information for air raid alerts.

Photo by Tomasz Zagórski on Unsplash