Apple and Google launched a major joint effort to leverage smartphone technology to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. New software the companies plan to add to phones would make it easier to use Bluetooth wireless technology to track down people for who may have been infected by coronavirus carriers.
The idea is to help national governments roll out apps for so-called “contact tracing” that will run on iPhones and Android phones alike.
Software developers have already created such apps in countries including Singapore and China to try to contain the pandemic.
In Europe, the Czech Republic says it will release such an app this month. Britain, Germany and Italy are among other countries developing such apps.