Android Will Get Covid-19 Tracking Update Through Google Play

Google confirmed, it will use their application store Google Play to update Android phones with the Covid-19 contact tracking system.

For your information, the Covid-19 tracking system is a system that is now being developed together with Apple.

So far the new Covid-19 tracking software update will be available on Android version 6.0 Marshmallow or higher.

For this reason, Google must ensure that Covid-19 tracking updates are available on more Android smartphones.

Google decided to bring updates through Google Play because this app store is the only system that can be relied upon to bring software updates to Android, on time.

Meanwhile, full operating system updates often get delays from smartphone manufacturers.

Applied in Two Stages

 

According to Google, this update system will be implemented in two stages. First, the Bluetooth contact tracking framework via the API and rolled out starting next month.

While this stage, the API was developed into the operating system (OS). The company said, the second phase will arrive in the coming months.

The problem is, not all Android devices will get this update, especially for Android smartphones operating in China.

Because the Android smartphone in China is not equipped with Google Play services. Likewise with Huawei smartphones sold worldwide after cooperation with Google was stopped by the United States.

What about Android that operates without Google Play?

 

Google is not allowed to inject software into Huawei. This means that Google cannot bring software updates to Huawei smartphones, including Chrome and Gmail.

For smartphones that have the above constraints, Google will publish a framework that can be used at these companies. The aim is to replicate a secure anonymous tracking system that will be developed by Google and Apple.

Furthermore, it depends on vendors such as Huawei, Xiaomi, or other Chinese smartphone vendors to decide whether or not to use the system.