Apple and Google have announced that they will be collaborating in a joint effort to facilitate the use of Bluetooth technology for aiding the health agencies and governments to slow down the virus spread, where security and user privacy will be central to the development. Health authorities across the world have been coming to work together and bring in solutions for the current situation along with software developers, making tools to fight the virus.

Apparently, the public health officials have recognized that contact tracing is an important tool to curb the spread. Several prominent universities, NGOs, and leading public health authorities worldwide have been trying to create opt-in contact tracing technology. Google and Apple have planned to launch a comprehensive solution in this regard.

The companies shall launch a comprehensive solution that includes various application programming interfaces (APIs) as well as an operating system level technology to help enable contact tracing. The primary aim is to implement the solution in about two steps while also maintaining a robust protection around user privacy.

The companies will be releasing their APIs in May that help facilitate interoperability between iOS and Android devices by using the apps from the public health authorities. The official apps will be made available for all the users to download through their app stores.

Later, Google and Apple will be working on a broader contact tracing platform based on Bluetooth by having built on the functionality in the underlying platforms. The solution would be stronger than an API and will also let more participation and interaction with a larger ecosystem of the government health authorities and apps. It is important to keep transparency, consent, and privacy as well as the priority as the companies look forward to creating the functionality with stakeholders’ interest in the effort.

The collaboration and cooperation with the other developers, public health providers as well as the governments will aid in the containment of the virus across the world and quicken the return of daily life.

Source Credit- https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2020/04/apple-and-google-partner-on-covid-19-contact-tracing-technology/