HACKER Q&A
📣 rognjen

Why aren't more contact tracing apps using GPS instead of Bluetooth?


Many contact tracing apps are only trying to use Bluetooth to decide which devices you're near.

Is that really a good approach?

I don't think so. It doesn't really matter if you're physically near me, if I cough on something and an hour later you touch that, you're very likely to get infected.

Shouldn't the apps trace a persons movement? Then once a case is encountered ping all the individuals who crossed paths?

The persons movements wouldn't necessarily have to be sent to a central server, they could be stored locally.

Are there other concerns or limitations that I'm missing?


  👤 Hackbraten Accepted Answer ✓
> if I cough on something and an hour later you touch that, you're very likely to get infected.

Not if you wash your hands regularly and avoid touching your face.