In an unprecedented move, Apple and Google are joining forces to develop a contact-tracing system based on Bluetooth technology to track the spread of the coronavirus. The companies will initially develop APIs to ensure interoperability between contact-tracing apps developed by public health authorities, and subsequently will embed contact-tracing capability in both iOS and Android. The companies said they’re relying on Bluetooth technology to prevent wireless tracking of the device. APIs in May: In the first phase of the project, the two companies, in May, Apple and Google will release Application Program Interfaces (APIs) to enable interoperability between Android and iOS devices using contact-tracing apps from public health authorities, like the Aarogya Setu app. This way, official contact-tracing apps on the two different operating systems (Android and iOS) would be able to communicate better, helping in better contact-tracing, in theory. OS integration in 'coming months': Then, “in the coming months”, the two companies will enable a broader Bluetooth-based contact tracing platform by building this functionality into the underlying platforms. However, at the moment we don’t know if this functionality would remain in both the operating systems after the pandemic ends and there is perhaps no need of contact-tracing; although the companies did say that the system will "only be used for contact tracing by public health authorities for COVID-19 pandemic management". How the system would work, in theory After users update their operating systems with the latest updates, their phones would exchange anonymised keys every 5 minutes. The exchange will only happen after…
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