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Google is using your Android phone to make it easier for emergency services to find you when you need help. With support from mobile networks, the Emergency Location Service sends your location of your phone to emergency services when you call an emergency number.

From Google:

This feature, when supported by your network, sends location from your phone to emergency services when you dial an emergency number. This uses the same location technologies available to apps on your phone, including Wi-Fi, GPS, and cell towers, to produce a more reliable emergency location both indoors and outdoors.

Your location is only sent to emergency services, and is never seen by Google, nor sent through their servers. The Emergency Location Service will be available as a part of Google Play Services for phones running Android 2.3 Gingerbread or later, which Google says covers around 99% of Android phones.

Emergency Location Service is already live in the UK and Estonia through carriers like BT, EE, Vodafone, O2, Tele2, and Telia. Google is working with other countries and carriers in order to facilitate an faster international rollout of the feature.

Kirt McMaster, the CEO of Cyanogen, has denied recent reports that the company is switching its strategy to apps, saying, "We are an OS company and our mission of creating an Open Android stands."

Late last week, rumors hit the internet that Cyanogen had laid off as many as 20% of its team members. McMaster admitted to some layoffs, without revealing specific numbers, on his Twitter account:

really sad we had to let go of some wonderful folks this week. startups and disruption are brutal.

— Kirt McMaster (@cyanogenone) July 23, 2016

Those same reports suggested Cyanogen was going to work more on apps rather than its alternative smartphone OS as part of a shift in its business. Today, McMaster posted again on Twitter to deny those rumors:

Cyanogen NOT pivoting to apps. We are an OS company and our mission of creating an OPEN ANDROID stands. FALSE reporting was outstanding.

— Kirt McMaster (@cyanogenone) July 25, 2016

The Cyanogen OS has made its way in a few phones, most notably those made by OnePlus, but it has yet to have a huge impact on the market.

Read comics on your Android device? If so, an update to Google Play Books is going to make your day.