Coronavirus: Apple and Google update plans to let phones track whether people have been exposed

Apple and Google have released technical details of the tools they plan to release to let people track their exposure to coronavirus through their phones. The two companies hope to release the tools next month, allowing phones to connect to each other and discover when their owners may have been exposed to the virus. The new updates look to address problems with criticism around privacy protections and the level of detail that could be found in any data gathered by phones. While governments and official bodies in countries affected by the coronavirus pandemic are quickly developing their own apps, they will have to rely on Apple and Google tools in the operating system to ensure that the apps are fully effective. Without the support of the companies and their operating system, the apps could be hampered by limits such as a requirement that phone screens stay on if an app is ctive.