Apple and Google both mentioned in a joint statement that the three most important things they practice are consent, privacy, and transparency. They will also build functionality with other stakeholders.

Apple And Google Develop Technology

They both are introducing a method of contact tracing that will use the smartphone’s Bluetooth signals. Contract tracing will alert and identify people that they have come in contact with an infected person and smartphones will determine if anybody has been in contact with an infected person.

Personal data and GPS will not be recorded for anyone. If anyone is tested positive for coronavirus, an alert will be sent to the original handset owner.

According to the European Union’s Data Protection Supervisor reported by BBC, the initiative is very positive, but it will require further analysis and assessment. Countries like Singapore, Poland, and others are also using handsets for issuing alerts related to coronavirus. Public health workers will quarantine everyone that comes in contact with the infected person, therefore, contract tracing is a crucial tool.

This system can log other phones nearby on your phone. An anonymous piece of code, from the phone unique ID, is derived and other phones in range will receive that code and remembers it. The system will scan the code in the log match and detects the IDs in the database and in this manner the person will get an alert on the phone that he or she has been exposed.

Bluetooth LE signals are used by both Apple and Google. The alert will come on the smartphones as you have recently been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

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