COVID-19 Posts on XDA

Samsung launches a UV sterilizer for phones and other gadgets

Samsung launches a UV sterilizer for phones and other gadgets

July 1, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has made many people more aware of their own hygiene habits. We're washing our hands after bringing in packages, wiping down our groceries, and using hand sanitizer after touching doorknobs. Gadgets like smartphones and earbuds can be covered in nasty stuff too, which is why Samsung is launching a UV sterilizer to...
Here are the countries using Google and Apple’s COVID-19 Contact Tracing API

Here are the countries using Google and Apple’s COVID-19 Contact Tracing API

June 26, 2020
The novel coronavirus, also known as SARS-CoV-2, has wreaked havoc across the world. Many countries shut down large parts of the economy in order to contain the spread of the virus. As countries reopen their economies, many health experts fear a "second wave", ie. resurgence, of COVID-19. To prevent a second wave, public health experts...
Huawei releases its “Contact Shield” API for COVID-19 contact tracing

Huawei releases its “Contact Shield” API for COVID-19 contact tracing

June 8, 2020
As many countries around the world are lifting their stay-at-home orders, public health agencies are scrambling to implement contact tracing to limit a resurgence of COVID-19. Several app-based contact tracing solutions have arisen in the past few weeks, some of which are based on Google and Apple's Exposure Notification API, and now developers of public...
Google Maps gets new safety features for navigating during the coronavirus pandemic

Google Maps gets new safety features for navigating during the coronavirus pandemic

June 8, 2020
You've probably heard enough about how we're living in "unprecedented" and "challenging" times, but it's true. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed nearly every aspect of our daily lives, especially when it comes to leaving our homes. Navigating the outside world can be extra complicated these days and Google Maps is adding some new features to...
Screenshots reveal Facebook for Android’s dark mode, COVID-19 tracker, and more

Screenshots reveal Facebook for Android’s dark mode, COVID-19 tracker, and more

June 5, 2020
While many popular apps already have dark modes, Facebook has been taking its sweet time. The company rolled out dark mode for Instagram, Messenger, Facebook Lite, and WhatsApp, but the main Facebook app is still waiting. It's not that Facebook hasn't been working on it, we've seen hints of it going all the way back...
Sensory’s new biometric tech aims to make face unlock work with face masks

Sensory’s new biometric tech aims to make face unlock work with face masks

June 3, 2020
The use of face masks is certainly not new, but as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many more people around the world are using them for the first time. This has created some interesting issues in the technology world. People covering half their faces with masks comes at a time when many phones are...
The Honor Play 4 can take your temperature with an infrared camera

The Honor Play 4 can take your temperature with an infrared camera

June 2, 2020
Technology is always evolving to meet the needs of the public. Sometimes it evolves in ways we never could have predicted, and old technology gets re-purposed for new and clever uses. Infrared cameras on smartphones aren't new, but the Honor Play 4 is using the technology in a very pertinent way. Honor posted a video on...
Google’s new AR tool helps you keep 6 feet apart in accordance with COVID-19 social distancing guidelines

Google’s new AR tool helps you keep 6 feet apart in accordance with COVID-19 social distancing guidelines

May 29, 2020
There's no denying that COVID-19 has fundamentally changed how we go about our daily lives. The health advisories issued in light of the pandemic necessitate social distancing, and such practices need to be ingrained deeply into our way of living, at least for the near future. But this change has been sudden, and people need...
COVID-19 Contact Tracing apps: India’s Aarogya Setu goes open source, while Switzerland and Italy test Google/Apple’s Exposure Notification API

COVID-19 Contact Tracing apps: India’s Aarogya Setu goes open source, while Switzerland and Italy test Google/Apple’s Exposure Notification API

May 27, 2020
The novel coronavirus, also known as SARS-CoV-2, has wreaked havoc across the world. A few nations have managed to control the spread of the virus, but many others have struggled and are still trying their best to contain it. One of the strategies being tested for its containment is contact tracing, ie. tracing all the...
[Update 6: API Live] Google and Apple announce the Contact Tracing API and Bluetooth spec to warn users of COVID-19

[Update 6: API Live] Google and Apple announce the Contact Tracing API and Bluetooth spec to warn users of COVID-19

May 20, 2020
Due to the ongoing threat posed by SARS-CoV-2, Google and Apple have teamed up to announce a new API and Bluetooth Low Energy specification called "Contact Tracing." The idea behind contact tracing is to inform users if they've recently been in contact with someone who has been positively diagnosed with COVID-19. South Korea and Taiwan...
[Update: Still Happening] Coronavirus affects another big tech event: IFA 2020

[Update: Still Happening] Coronavirus affects another big tech event: IFA 2020

May 19, 2020
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has infected over 2 million people worldwide and has brought many countries to a complete standstill. The pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on industries globally, with several companies in the technology sector being forced to delay launches indefinitely and cancel all live events, including major tech events like MWC 2020...
Android SVP apologizes after Google Play erroneously removed Podcast Addict for showing COVID-19 content

Android SVP apologizes after Google Play erroneously removed Podcast Addict for showing COVID-19 content

May 19, 2020
In a bid to curb the spread of misinformation during these trying times, several tech giants banded together earlier this year to provide users with actual, verified facts about the COVID-19 situation and take down any misleading information from their respective platforms. Google, being Google, automated this process and the results have been quite undesirable...