The news today that Google and Apple are cooperating on tools to fight the coronavirus is a reminder of how much our world has been turned upside down by the pandemic. The two companies are bitter rivals in the mobile sphere, of course, but by joining together they ensure a more comprehensive effort to identify people who have been exposed to the virus.
Both companies, along with many others in and out of tech, have already turned their individual resources to fighting the pandemic, through the production of facemasks, hand sanitizers, ventilators and various tech tools. But a collaboration between two of the world’s most competitive companies is a remarkable precedent to set.
The pandemic shows little sign of diminishing our society’s hyper-partisanship in the political realm. But it’s a hopeful sign that opponents in the business sphere can put aside their differences.
Tech Companies Collaborate to Battle Virus
Tech companies are kicking up their efforts to deal with the coronavirus. Here’s the latest:
- Apple and Google joined forces on building a platform for “contact tracing” so public health authorities can identify individuals who have been exposed to infected people.
- Google has partnered with the state of New York to launch a website for residents to file unemployment applications amid a rush of layoffs due to the coronavirus.
- Google is also introducing features in Google Search and Maps to make it easier for people to connect to “virtual healthcare options” including doctors’ offices and hospitals.
- Amazon says it is building the capacity to do virus testing of employees, although it will share what it learns with others