Apple and Google Release COVID-19 Contact Tracing Tech to 23 Countries
Apple and Google are providing their joint Bluetooth exposure notification system to 23 countries and several US states to help track coronavirus infections. The partnership aims to solve the technical and privacy issues faced by nations developing their own tracing apps.
Apple and Google are releasing their joint "exposure notification" technology to help global health authorities track the coronavirus pandemic. Governments around the world are now able to use this Bluetooth-based system in their own contact tracing apps, provided they receive approval from the two tech giants. Contact tracing is a proven public health strategy, and many countries are turning to smartphone apps to manage the massive scale of this crisis.
The partnership between Apple and Google means that almost all smartphones worldwide will be able to detect each other and share information about potential disease exposure. This development dramatically accelerates the global rollout of digital tracing efforts by addressing the technical and civil liberties problems that individual countries face when building their own isolated systems. Over two dozen countries have already launched their own apps, but this unified approach offers a more seamless solution.
Currently, 22 national governments across five continents and several US states are gaining access to the API. Notable omissions from the initial rollout include France and the United Kingdom, which are still negotiating or deciding whether to adopt the Silicon Valley framework. Ultimately, this situation highlights the immense power and reach that major technology companies hold during a global emergency.