Alphabet Inc’s Google and Apple Inc on Tuesday announced a new system that will enable public health authorities to use smartphones to assist in contact tracing without having to build an app.

The new system - called Exposure Notifications Express - will allow public health officials to submit a small configuration file to Apple and Google. The two tech companies will then use the file to set up systems that phone owners can opt in to in order to determine whether they have been near someone who has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

In the case of iPhones, a new version of the iOS operating system being released on Tuesday will alert users whether an exposure notification system is available from local health authorities and allow users to set it up without downloading any new apps. On Android devices, users will also get a prompt from the phone’s operating system, but will still have to download an automatically generated app.

The two companies said Maryland, Nevada, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., will be the first U.S. places to use the new system. The new system also works alongside tools that the two companies released in May that enable public health officials to build apps that allow iPhones and Android devices to use Bluetooth signals to detect proximity to a person who has tested positive.

Six U.S. states and about two dozen countries have launched exposure notification apps based on the Apple-Google technology in recent weeks without major hitches.

The apps are increasingly compatible with each other, allowing for cross-border tracking. A few jurisdictions, such as Hawaii, are moving forward with separate tracking technology.

However, the effectiveness of exposure notification apps in helping slow coronavirus spread remains a major question. Most governments are not tracking detailed data on app usage in the interest of user privacy.

In Alabama, for example, more than 1,000 students caught the virus in an outbreak in August. But a university representative said it was too early to tell whether a two-week-old state app had made any difference.

source:reuters

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Apple and Google have shared sample interface of their contact tracing system that aims to track potential COVID-19 positive cases.

Apple and Google have been working on a contact tracing tool since April to help identify potential cases of COVID-19. The two tech companies have now shared more information on the system including sample interface design for potential apps as well as restrictions on how it will be used.

The interface samples give an idea of how the automatic exposure notification will work. It shows how specific alerts would appear as well as how Apple and Google plan to ensure user privacy and consent. The two companies have also shared a library of reference code— an SDK for Android and an Xcode toolkit for iOS, which they believe will serve as “a starting gun” for app development by health agencies.

Apple and Google have also laid out rules to use the contact tracing applications. The public-sector partners would be expected to use the system only for COVID-19 response efforts and require opt-in consent before accessing the API or sharing a positive diagnosis. The apps will be restricted from using Location Services and cannot allow any form of targeted advertisement.

If the health agencies have existing apps with targeted advertising or location services, they will need to turn off those systems before they access the API.

The contact tracing system works through Bluetooth Low Energy signals to track people who have come in contact with a person diagnosed positively for the coronavirus.

Apple and Google also said Monday they will allow only one app per country to use the contact system, to avoid fragmentation and encourage wider adoption. The companies said they would, however, support countries that opt for a state or regional approach, and that U.S. states will be allowed to use the system.

Earlier, Apple and Google made a series of technical announcements regarding their contact tracing system underlining the use of encrypted keys to preserve the non-exposed user’s privacy. The companies have confirmed to discontinue the system as soon as the public health crisis is over.

Source:Reuters

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Mysterious industry insider ‘Mr White’ has continued his impressive track record leaking Apple hardware, by revealing the chassis for the coming iPhone 12. While this confirms the range’s move to a more angular new design, he also confirms Face ID will be the same size and, as a consequence, the large notch introduced with the iPhone X in 2017 will not be getting any smaller in 2020.

Apple had been widely expected to shrink the notch for the iPhone 12 line-up and almost every render showed this would result in a significantly better design. Moreover, with recent leaks also revealing Apple will increase prices while also shrinking battery capacities, the company’s decision to stick with the same notch for the fourth successive generation may be a deal breaker for some potential upgraders.

That said, for notch haters, there is still some cause for optimism. While Mr White did not reveal which iPhone 12 model the chassis is from, it appears to be the new 5.4-inch entry level phone. So it is possible Apple does have plans to introduce a smaller notch with the more expensive iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Beyond this, however, there remain compelling reasons to upgrade. Most notably, all iPhone 12 models will come with 5G (albeit different versions), a multi-generational performance leap, a wider range of screen sizes and faster (potentially magnetic) charging. Pro models will also add some radical new camera tech.

All of which leaves users at a crossroads. At least with Apple officially delaying the iPhone 12 release and the possibility of a split launch increasing, you will have longer to make your mind up.

Source: Forbes

 

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Google’s Chromecast is a fantastic way to fling streaming video from phone to TV — but these days, you can often get a Roku Streaming Stick or Amazon Fire Stick with dedicated remote control for the same money. But what if Google launched an Android TV dongle with its own remote control for the same $50 you’d pay for a high-end Roku or Firestick?

That’s exactly what 9to5Google seems to have discovered, thanks to a new Home Depot leak. The home improvement story briefly listed a Google “Sabrina” for $49.99, and 9to5Google’s sources were able to provide pictures of that price tag in the Home Depot’s internal systems as well.

Sabrina, of course, would be that Android TV dongle that leaked in June, only to seemingly appear again at the FCC just last week, ahead of a rumored “summer” launch alongside the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G. Mind you, summer is now “fall” since Google already said that’s when the phones will actually come out. We can’t be 100 percent sure that Sabrina will ever truly arrive, of course, and this price could be a placeholder, but personally I’d be surprised if we go another month without the formal announcement.

source:theverge

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