Apple-Google virus combat plan hinges on still-scarce testing

In addition to coming together on this project, both Apple and Google have donated money and put resources toward other coronavirus-combating initiatives. But the problem may be too big even for the vaunted leaders of the tech industry to conquer. — Reuters

Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google earlier this month unveiled an ambitious plan to jury-rig billions of smartphones into coronavirus-tracking beacons, hoping to help public-health authorities fight the disease and pave the way to end lockdowns that have crippled the global economy.

Now, just weeks after the announcement, the programme is already facing serious challenges and it’s unclear whether the system will ever be used at a large scale. Persistent concerns about privacy, weak consumer adoption, and the lack of a coordinated government effort on testing could all pose obstacles to the companies’ push. Some governments have already struck out on their own, building systems used by millions without needing Apple and Google’s help.