San Francisco, April 10: Google and Apple unveiled a joint initiative Friday to use smartphones to trace coronavirus contacts to battle the pandemic. The move brings together the largest mobile operating systems in an effort to use smartphone technology to track and potentially contain the global pandemic.

Smartphones powered by Apple software and Google-backed Android operating system would be able to exchange information wire Bluetooth technology with a joint "opt in system." Amazon Moves to Create Own Lab for Employee COVID-19 Tests.

The tech giants will collaborate on a "contact tracing" system which can identify people in contact with an infected person.

"All of us at Apple and Google believe there has never been a more important moment to work together to solve one of the world's most pressing problems," the companies said in a joint statement.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 10, 2020 11:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).