Singapore plans to provide 5.7 million people with mobile devices. The goal is to identify people who have interacted with people affected by the new Coronavirus (COVID-19). This could become one of the most comprehensive contact tracking procedures in the world.
Mobile test devices follow the previous implementation of limited smartphone-based systems, but take into account more privacy concerns related to call tracking technology. The new device can be placed in a handbag or on the end of a rope tied around the neck
Singapore, known as the country of small towns and one of the countries with the largest number of cases in Asia (Covid-19), is one of many countries trying to use technology to safely reopen their economies.
(Vivian Balakrishnan, the minister in charge of the smart nation program in the city, said on Friday: Singapore is about to launch this device that is not dependent on smart phones.
The government’s TraceTogether app was having problems, especially on Apple devices, because the operating system interrupts Bluetooth verification when the app runs in the background. Krishnan said: Frequent discussions with Apple did not solve the problem.
The trend in mobile devices is believed to show that Singapore has no immediate plans to introduce Apple and Google tracking technology introduced last month and that there are many restrictions to protect user privacy.
Singapore said: The data collected by the previous application will be encrypted and stored locally on the user's phone and will not be shared with the authorities unless it is confirmed that the person is infected with the virus.
Some companies have used mobile devices to track contacts in places where the use of smartphones is restricted, while governments such as Bahrain and Hong Kong use mobile devices to monitor quarantine personnel.