Utah rejects Apple-Google approach, endorses alternative contact-tracing app
cnbc.com
cnbc.com
* Built by Twenty for $2.75m + $300k/mo to operate
* Doesn't use Apple-Google API
* Uses GPS + Bluetooth, sends location history to centralized server
* 45k people signed up since 4/22 (21 days ago), 2% of Utah population
* Some estimates say ~60% required for contact tracing to be useful, Utah DoH says lower for usefulness
* Stated rationale for app is to send data to public health officials unlike Apple-Google decentralized API. Utah has 1200 phone-based contact tracers which apparently will in the future use data to coordinate effort.
After downloading the iOS app:
* Says it will delete data after 30 days
* Requests Bluetooth, GPS set to 'Always', Contacts (to invite people), Notifications
* Has daily symptom checker that tell you whether you need a test
* Offers map of test centers
Seems like a well designed app.
I assume like other approaches from European countries etc, this will be subject to background app limitations, requiring user to have app in foreground to get benefits.
My take is there's a risk for 'perfect is the enemy of the good', and something built without privacy protections may cause fewer people to download it, thus making contact tracing unviable. Depends a lot on whether Utah can convince its citizens to use it.