I guess the pandemic is truly over because Google has removed their exposure notifications from Android. Somebody took the WHO advisory to heart.
During the “height” of the COVID-19 pandemic, teams from both Apple and Google got together to work on their first major collaboration since Google became the default search engine on the iPhone. They created a joint API that could be plugged into state health department apps that could help track COVID exposures.
People noticed back in mid-October during an Android 14 beta that the feature was missing. It has now been confirmed gone with the full release.
Back in May, iPhone users were notified from Apple that they could disable the notifications and delete the data.
How did it work?
It worked similar to how Nintendo 3DS Street Pass worked. It would log any device that you came within close proximity to (whether iOS or Android). If, one day, you were diagnosed with COVID-19, you could log it in the app. It would then determine who you may have crossed while you were contagious. Users who may be at risk would then be notified about getting tested because they were possibly exposed.
Depending on the state, it worked flawlessly or it was a fruitless endeavour. When I caught COVID in 2022, I wasn’t able to use the app to notify anyone using the North Carolina app installed on my iPhone. This would have been helpful as I was at a superspreader event. However, later that year when traveling in and out of California, I was notified by the California app which was installed on my Samsung Galaxy S22. I don’t know when I was exposed because I was in and out of planes and airports.
In an ideal scenario, this would have been a dope solution to keeping track of how the virus was spreading. It would have kept people safe by allowing possibly infected people to get tested and lay low for a bit. But, unfortunately, we needed cooperation from the community at large and we all saw how that went.
But now, I guess because pandemic is over thanks to the World Health Organization, it doesn’t matter. There are vaccines available. Their are treatments for the virus. Just get back to work and don’t worry about the virus.
Honestly, instead of focusing on AI, why not use these tools to help keep people healthy. Let me know if I’m been exposed to the flu.
Ah, who cares?!
Source: 9to5Google
