Apple and Google announced a rare collaboration on Friday to help battle the novel coronavirus.
The tech giants said they would employ Bluetooth to create “contact tracing technology” tools to alert users if they have come in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a joint statement from the companies.
“A number of leading public health authorities, universities and NGOs around the world have been doing important work to develop opt-in contact tracing technology,” the statement said. “To further this cause, Apple and Google will be launching a comprehensive solution that includes application programming interfaces (APIs) and operating system-level technology to assist in enabling contact tracing.”
