LONDON – A group of software developers has been asked to “investigate” switching to the Apple/Google proposed model of COVID-19 contact tracing by UK health chiefs. The UK is one of just a few countries opting for a different approach.
UK Could Adopt Apple/Google Contact Tracing Tech
Some have raised concerns about the effectiveness and privacy implications of the UK COVID-19 contact tracing. An official at NSHX, the UK health service’s digital transformation unit, told the Financial Times:
We’ve been working with Apple and Google throughout the app’s development and it’s quite right and normal to continue to refine the app.
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One reported concern is that the contact tracing app will not work in the background if two iPhones are left locked and unused for around half-an-hour without an Android device coming within 60m of them in order to “wake up” the iPhones. The UK app is currently being tested by residents on the Isle of Wight. Unlike those in other countries, it gathers data into a central database.