France accuses Apple of refusing help with “StopCovid” app

PARIS: France accused Apple on Tuesday of undermining its effort to fight the coronavirus by refusing to help make its iPhones more compatible with a planned “StopCovid” contact-tracing app.

Countries are rushing to develop smartphone apps, which are seen as a way to help keep the coronavirus epidemic in check while reopening the economy.

The apps would use the Bluetooth feature that allows phones to interact with nearby devices to help detect when users come into contact with people who potentially carry the virus.