In light of the ongoing pandemic, tech behemoths Apple and Google are working on developing new technology to track and reduce the spread of Covid-19.
Both companies released a joint statement reading “All of us at Apple and Google believe there has never been a more important moment to work together to solve one of the world’s most pressing problems. Through close cooperation and collaboration with developers, governments and public health providers, we hope to harness the power of technology to help countries around the world slow the spread of COVID-19 and accelerate the return of everyday life.”
In simple terms, the technology will use Bluetooth to alert users if they have been in contact with someone has been infected with Coronavirus. It’s worth noting that the companies are not designing an app, but designing a framework that could eventually be developed into an app for OS10 or Android.
Of course, an app that makes our medical history available to hackers will need to tread carefully to navigate ethics of privacy and mass surveillance to ensure that sensitive data is not at risk.
It’s currently unknown when such technology would roll out to the general public.