Apple and Google on Friday announced a joint efforts aimed at using Bluetooth technology to assist governments and health authorities in reducing COVID-19 spread.
In a joint statement the giant companies in technology announced that they will launch a comprehensive solution that includes application programming interfaces (APIs) and operating system-level technology to help in tracing contacts as public health officials have identified contact tracing as an important in containing the spread.
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The two American companies also stated that the solution will be implemented in two steps as both companies will release APIs that enable interoperability between Android and iOS devices using apps from public health authorities in May.
In the months to follow they will work to enable a broader Bluetooth-based contact tracing platform by building this functionality into the underlying platforms that will allow more individuals to participate and interact with a broader ecosystem of apps and government health authorities.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/10/technology/apple-google-coronavirus-contact-tracing.html
Apple and Google hope to harness the power of technology to help governments and health authorities around the world to curb the spread of COVID-19 and speed up the return to normalcy through close cooperation and collaboration with developers, governments and public health providers while noting that privacy, transparency, and consent are very important in the design.
