Coronavirus: Apple and Google Team Contact to Locate Kovid-19
Apple and Google are jointly developing technology to alert people if they have recently come in contact with others found to be infected with coronavirus.
They initially hope to help third-party contact-tracing applications run efficiently.
But in the end, they aim to do away with the need to download dedicated applications to encourage practice.
Both companies believe their approach - designed to keep users whose participation will be voluntary, anonymous - will address privacy concerns.
Their contact-tracing method would work using a smartphone's Bluetooth signal to determine which owner had recently established a risk for prolonged proximity in proximity.
If one of those people later tested positive for the Kovid-19 virus, a warning would be sent to the original handset owner.
No GPS location data or personal information will be recorded.
Apple and Google said in a joint statement, "Confidentiality, transparency and consent are of great importance in this effort and we look forward to building this functionality in consultation with this friendly."
"We will openly publish information about our work for others to analyze."
President Trump said his administration needed time to consider development.
During a White House press conference, he said, "It's very interesting, but a lot of people worry about it in terms of a person's freedom."
"We're going to take ... a very strong long run, and we'll tell you very soon."
Giving a more positive voice, the European Union's Data Protection Supervisor said: "The initiative will require more evaluation, however, after a quick glance it seems to tick the right boxes as the user's choice, data by design Security and Pan-European Interoperability. "
But others have noted that the success of the venture may depend on testing enough people.
Apple is a developer of iOS. Google is the company behind Android. The two operating systems power the vast majority of smartphones in use.
Some countries - including Singapore, Israel, South Korea, and Poland - are already issuing coronovirus infectious alerts using people's handsets.
Other health authorities, including the UK, France and Germany, are working on their own initiatives. And some municipal governments in the US are reportedly about to adopt third-party apps.
The two technology giants aim that existing third-party apps can be retrofitted to incorporate their solutions.
This makes apps interoperable, so contact tracing will continue to work as people travel abroad and come into contact with people using a different tool.
Apple and Google have been working on a nearly two-week effort, but have not revealed their plans externally until Friday.
If this was successful, the plan could help countries in lockdown and border restrictions.
Phone based match
The companies aim to release a software building-block - known as API (Application Programming Interface) - in mid-May.
This will allow others' apps to run on the same basis.
The records of the included digital IDs will be stored on remote computer servers, but companies say they cannot be used to reveal the true identity of a specific person.
In addition, the contact-matching process would take place over the phone rather than being centrally.
From this it will be possible that someone is told that they go into quarantine without informing any other person.
A simple guide: How do I protect myself?
LOOK-UP TOOL: Check Cases in Your Area
Maps and Charts: Visual Guide to Outbreak
Stress: How to take care of your mental health
Both companies have released details of the cryptography specifications used to protect privacy, and will play the role of Bluetooth.
He hopes that this will lead activists to believe that his approach can be trusted.
Apple and Google say that another advantage of their solution would be the developers not to risk the iOS and Android versions of their app being incompatible due to bug updates.
In addition, they believe that this will reduce battery life compared to current contact-tracing systems.
No app is needed
Phase two of the initiative involves building contact-tracing capabilities in the iOS and Android operating systems. Users can then turn the capability on and off without downloading an app.
Approved third-party applications will still be able to interact with the feature if desired.
This feature will be offered through future system software updates. But companies have not yet said when it will happen.
"This is a more robust solution," he says, suggesting widespread adoption if users don't have to download additional software for themselves.
It also provides companies with the ability to easily disable tracing on a regional basis when the epidemic ends.
While Apple and Google hope that others will see the benefits of adopting their approach, it is not guaranteed.
An independent effort - the Pan-European Privacy-Protection Proximity Tracing (PEPP-PT) initiative - revealed on 1 April its own effort to deliver a privacy-focused solution.
About 130 technologists and scientists are involved and the group has already made contacts with several European governments.
Apple and Google are jointly developing technology to alert people if they have recently come in contact with others found to be infected with coronavirus.
They initially hope to help third-party contact-tracing applications run efficiently.
But in the end, they aim to do away with the need to download dedicated applications to encourage practice.
Both companies believe their approach - designed to keep users whose participation will be voluntary, anonymous - will address privacy concerns.
Their contact-tracing method would work using a smartphone's Bluetooth signal to determine which owner had recently established a risk for prolonged proximity in proximity.
If one of those people later tested positive for the Kovid-19 virus, a warning would be sent to the original handset owner.
No GPS location data or personal information will be recorded.
Apple and Google said in a joint statement, "Confidentiality, transparency and consent are of great importance in this effort and we look forward to building this functionality in consultation with this friendly."
"We will openly publish information about our work for others to analyze."
President Trump said his administration needed time to consider development.
During a White House press conference, he said, "It's very interesting, but a lot of people worry about it in terms of a person's freedom."
"We're going to take ... a very strong long run, and we'll tell you very soon."
Giving a more positive voice, the European Union's Data Protection Supervisor said: "The initiative will require more evaluation, however, after a quick glance it seems to tick the right boxes as the user's choice, data by design Security and Pan-European Interoperability. "
But others have noted that the success of the venture may depend on testing enough people.
Apple is a developer of iOS. Google is the company behind Android. The two operating systems power the vast majority of smartphones in use.
Some countries - including Singapore, Israel, South Korea, and Poland - are already issuing coronovirus infectious alerts using people's handsets.
Other health authorities, including the UK, France and Germany, are working on their own initiatives. And some municipal governments in the US are reportedly about to adopt third-party apps.
The two technology giants aim that existing third-party apps can be retrofitted to incorporate their solutions.
This makes apps interoperable, so contact tracing will continue to work as people travel abroad and come into contact with people using a different tool.
Apple and Google have been working on a nearly two-week effort, but have not revealed their plans externally until Friday.
If this was successful, the plan could help countries in lockdown and border restrictions.
Phone based match
The companies aim to release a software building-block - known as API (Application Programming Interface) - in mid-May.
This will allow others' apps to run on the same basis.
The records of the included digital IDs will be stored on remote computer servers, but companies say they cannot be used to reveal the true identity of a specific person.
In addition, the contact-matching process would take place over the phone rather than being centrally.
From this it will be possible that someone is told that they go into quarantine without informing any other person.
A simple guide: How do I protect myself?
LOOK-UP TOOL: Check Cases in Your Area
Maps and Charts: Visual Guide to Outbreak
Stress: How to take care of your mental health
Both companies have released details of the cryptography specifications used to protect privacy, and will play the role of Bluetooth.
He hopes that this will lead activists to believe that his approach can be trusted.
Apple and Google say that another advantage of their solution would be the developers not to risk the iOS and Android versions of their app being incompatible due to bug updates.
In addition, they believe that this will reduce battery life compared to current contact-tracing systems.
No app is needed
Phase two of the initiative involves building contact-tracing capabilities in the iOS and Android operating systems. Users can then turn the capability on and off without downloading an app.
Approved third-party applications will still be able to interact with the feature if desired.
This feature will be offered through future system software updates. But companies have not yet said when it will happen.
"This is a more robust solution," he says, suggesting widespread adoption if users don't have to download additional software for themselves.
It also provides companies with the ability to easily disable tracing on a regional basis when the epidemic ends.
While Apple and Google hope that others will see the benefits of adopting their approach, it is not guaranteed.
An independent effort - the Pan-European Privacy-Protection Proximity Tracing (PEPP-PT) initiative - revealed on 1 April its own effort to deliver a privacy-focused solution.
About 130 technologists and scientists are involved and the group has already made contacts with several European governments.
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