These are unprecedented times in which we have seen people and various organizations take unprecedented measures. And, in one such unprecedented move, rivals- Apple and Google are coming together in order to combat and curb the coronavirus pandemic.
As per a post on Apple’s newsroom, Apple and Google announced a joint effort to assist governments and health agencies reduce the spread of the virus. At the core of this effort- Bluetooth technology and user privacy and security remain a critical part. In the post, Apple stated that Apple and Google will be launching a comprehensive solution.
This will include application programming interfaces (APIs) and operating system-level technology to assist in enabling contact tracing. The whole idea behind this step is to use the technology to slow the spread of COVID-19. This can be attained when developers, governments and public health providers work together.
The plan is intended to be implemented in two stages. According to both the companies, the first step will include releasing APIs which will enable more coordination and syncing between Android and iOS devices that use apps from public health authorities. These apps can be downloaded by users via their respective app stores. The APIs are scheduled to be released sometime in May 2020.
The second stage will revolve around enabling a “broader Bluetooth-based contact tracing platform by building this functionality into the underlying platforms.” This stage will be a more in-depth solution compared to the APIs. This will allow more individuals to participate.
The whole idea is to enable interaction with a broader ecosystem of apps and government health authorities. In other words, more apps and solutions will be provided to trace coronavirus suspects and help governments in tracking them. The two companies said that the need of the hour is to work together and collaborate.
