Covid-19: France says Apple Bluetooth policy is blocking virus tracker

A municipal policeman wearing a protective face mask walks past the closed Apple store on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris as a lockdown is imposed to slow the rate of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in France. Apple’s OS prevents contact-tracing apps using its Bluetooth technology from running constantly in the background if that data is going to be moved off of the device, a limit designed to protect users’ privacy. That limitation is standing in the way of the type of app that France wants to build, O said. — Reuters

France is asking Apple Inc to remove a technical obstacle that it says is delaying a government contact-tracing application designed to contain the coronavirus spread.

Apple’s operating system prevents contact-tracing apps using its Bluetooth technology from running constantly in the background if that data is going to be moved off of the device, a limit designed to protect users’ privacy. That limitation is standing in the way of the type of app that France wants to build, Digital Minister Cedric O said.