Apple and Google have announced that they will be working together on one bluetooth which will work seamlessly between Android and iOS devices. The two companies own the two most popular mobile operating systems in the world, and their move for an interoperable Bluetooth is likely to cause mixed reactions.
The news came after a joint statement Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), and Google for allowing proximity monitoring between Android and iOS device owners.
"Initially in May, both companies will release APIs that will allow Bluetooth interoperability between Android and iOS devices, developing applications for public health principles. "These official applications will be available to users for download through the respective app Stores", the statement states.
Apple and Google plan to create a platform παρακολούθησης Bluetooth η οποία θα επιτρέπει στους χρήστες να συμμετέχουν και να μοιράζονται το record monitoring them with the various government health authorities monitoring its spread coronavirus.
Both companies had to answer questions from US senators in recent days. related to the data locations for him COVID-19 and collection practices data. Proximity tracking apps could be of great help in automated contact tracing, which could be crucial to resuming normal life and economic activity in the coming weeks.
"Through a close collaboration of developers, governments and public health agencies, we hope to harness the power of technology to help countries of the world to slow the spread of COVID 19 and accelerate the return of daily life," the joint statement said.
With regard to better safety, a documentation draft of the Bluetooth technology and the cryptography to be used was published. The draft states that the contact detection method will use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and a 32-byte tracking key, cryptographically protected code, to record contact between devices.
Proponents of privacy in favor of decentralized Bluetooth surveillance from smartphones call it one of the most up-to-date contact methods available today.
ACLU and cybersecurity attorney Jennifer Granick said the effectiveness of contact tracing apps should depend on confidence and voluntary use and that there should be no central repository of user data.
“Apple and Google have announced an approach that appears to mitigate the worst privacy and data collection risks, but there appears to be room for improvement. We will continue to monitor to ensure that the tracking implementation remains voluntary and decentralized and will usesonly for public health purposes and only during this pandemic,” Granick told VentureBeat.