Apple CEO Tim Cook meets with EU official Breton to discuss the Apple-Google contact-tracking system

Apple and Google have recently announced their collaboration on a contact-tracking system that will notify users if they were in proximity to someone infected with the coronavirus. However, despite the companies’ assurances that the system is going to protect users’ privacy and security, some people had some concerns about it, including President Donald Trump and Senator Josh Howley.

Now, French website iGeneration (via 9to5Mac) reports that Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, met with the European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services Thierry Breton to further discuss the matter of the contact-tracking system, developed jointly with Google. Previously, Breton had met Google’s CEO, Sundar Pinchai.

Thierry Breton wanted to make sure that the apps from that type are going to be anonymous, voluntary, transparent, temporary and secure. What’s more, he insisted that this type of technology should not cause apps, developed by governments, for example the French app StopCovid, that are made to help fight the spread of the coronavirus, to stop working.

Apple-Google contact-tracing system release date

The French website also reported that Tim Cook told the EU Parliament official the first version of the Apple-Google contact-tracing technology is going to be released on April 28. The date of release April 28 comes as a surprise as in their previous announcement, Google and Apple stated that the first phase of the contact-tracking system is going to come in May. For Android users, it will be delivered via Google Play services, and for iOS users it will reportedly come with an OS software update.