Apple Site to Slow COVID Spread

New Data Site for Mobility Trends

Source:  Apple Mobility Trends

Tracking Global Movements to Slow Spread

Apple and Google are taking leading roles

in using technology to stop the

spread of the coronavirus.

Several days ago, they announced

they're jointly developing contact

tracing technology through their

global smartphone networks to

stop the spread of the disease.

3 billion people worldwide use 

their phones.  Now, Apple just 

announced that it's building a

site to release data, designed to

help public health officials

know if people are travelling

less during lockdown orders.

Apple Maps

Apple is doing this by

comparing Apple Map requests

in mid-January, before the pandemic

hit, with current daily requests.

This documents the volumes of 

people driving, walking and

taking public transit in places

around the world.  The data is

updated daily.  It covers

major cities and 63 nations.

Personal Privacy

Apple says the data is in the

aggregate.  It is not tracking

individuals.  And it's available

to the public at www.apple.com/covid19/mobility

It shows for instance in San Francisco

that driving direction requests are

now down 70% since mid-January.

And in NYC, public transit requests

are down 90%.

Google Data

Google is also making extensive data

available to public health

authorities.  It is tracking 

movement in 131 countries, including 

travel to work, grocery stores,

travel on buses and trains.  This

is all about the power of data and

technology helping to fight a

deadly virus. 

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