Apple and Google teamed up to develop an app for COVID-19 suppression. (Image via Apple)

Apple, Google unites to trace COVID-19

Alfonsus Adi Putra
Business & Industry
Sci-Tech
Apr 11, 2020
2684
Two tech giants located in Silicon Valley, Apple and Google, announced that they are developing a system to track the spread of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spread by the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). The system will allow users to share data through a short-range Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) transmissions and approved apps from major health organizations.

The short-range Bluetooth connection will establish a voluntary contact-tracing network, keeping extensive data on phones that have been in close proximity with each other. The main function is an alert if the users have been in close contact with an infected person.

In mid-May, Apple and Google will introduce a pair of iOS and Android APIs and make sure the health apps can implement them. The users will need to download health apps to use the feature. But, in the coming months, Apple and Google will build the function in the underlying operating system so the apps might not be needed anymore.

Regarding the users’ privacy and safety, Apple and Google ensured that the system will rely on Bluetooth connection, so there is no way the app could track the users’ location. While it seems not as effective as the real contact-tracing procedure, the app promises another measure to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.

Source: https://bit.ly/3c1Helk

Medical , Science , Technology , Health , Application , Gadget , U.S , Pandemic , Coronavirus , COVID-19 , Google , Apple