Covid-19: Apple and Google’s contact tracing tech may not reach some 600mn Huawei smartphones

Since Google is a part of it, one can expect a whole lot of Android phones to get this feature in the coming days. However, one of the world’s biggest manufacturer, Huawei, won’t be bringing this tech to its handsets.

Since Google is a part of it, one can expect a whole lot of Android phones to get this feature in the coming days. However, one of the world’s biggest manufacturer, Huawei, won’t be bringing this tech to its handsets. (PTI)

'Contact tracing' is a term that has gained popularity in the tech industry off lately. The reason for it is Google and Apple's joint effort to use this tech and create a database on people near you who are affected by Covid-19 pandemic. Since Google is a part of it, one can expect a whole lot of Android phones to get this feature in the coming days. However, one of the world's biggest manufacturer, Huawei, won't be bringing this tech to its handsets.

As noted by Forbes, Google will be updating the software of Android phones via Play Services but then it won't be reaching some 600 million users in China or anyone around the globe who is using a Huawei smartphone that is launched after US blacklisting China for trading purposes. However, Google is said to bring contact tracing in 80% of the smartphones outside China and has said that it will publish a framework for devices that are not supported (Huawei). However, there's no time period for this and it may take longer to implement.

The contact tracing tech that is being worked upon by Apple and Google, will be rolled out in two stages with the first one launching in May. Apple recently shared some details on how the contact tracing tech will work.

The first stage of the contact tracing process includes releasing "application programming interfaces (APIs) and operating system-level technology" for interoperability between Android and iOS. Government health agencies can use these APIs for contact-tracing apps that will alert people if they've come in close contact with Covid-19 patients.

In the second stage, contact tracing will be deeply integrated in the OSs with Apple and Google using Bluetooth signals to alert users. This is supposed to be more effective than APIs.