PUBLIC HEALTH

Is This What International Relations Looks Like?

Germany has said nein re: a domestically developed COVID-19 contact tracing app. Instead, health officials are pivoting to the decentralized smartphone technology being developed by the nation-states of Apple and Google. 

The backstory

As recently as last Friday, Germany supported a standard called Pan-European Privacy-Preserving Proximity Tracing. PEPP-PT programs would be based on a centralized record of E.U. citizens' personal data. But scientists worried that could lead to mission creep, opening the door for widespread surveillance.

Another issue: PEPP-PT would require Apple to change iPhone privacy settings. Contact tracing apps don't work when backgrounded, so iPhone user data could only be collected when the software is actively running. 

The new plan

Yesterday, German officials switched gears and endorsed the decentralized approach. "This app should be voluntary, meet data protection standards, and guarantee a high level of IT security," officials told Reuters. 

However, the French and the U.K. governments still plan on implementing a centralized approach to contact tracing. France has even urged Apple to relax iPhone privacy standards for its digital contact tracing project. Now that's an unprecedented headline.

What comes next?

By all appearances, Apple and Google are building the software architecture most Western countries will use for contact tracing. The forthcoming “Appoogle” contact tracing tools will be interoperable and decentralized, with privacy-preserving Bluetooth handshake technology that relies on rotating identifiers. 

The next challenge will be governments convincing citizens to download the apps. Apple and Google insist that using the tracing software must be voluntary. One workaround: Private companies or governments could require the app for re-entry into certain spaces. 

Zoom out: There are three T's for fighting COVID-19—tracking, tracing, and testing. Building tracing capabilities alone won't be enough. AI and digital platforms can help with tracking. But testing requires good old-fashioned manufacturing and distribution. 

+ While we’re here: Over 1 million Australians have downloaded COVIDSafe, the country’s contact tracing app that launched yesterday, according to the health minister. 

CRYPTO

In This Economy?

Bitcoin mining equipment maker Ebang has officially filed for a $100 million U.S. IPO on either the New York Stock Exchange or Nasdaq. 

Ebang creates bespoke chips that handle the complex cryptographic legwork required to "mine" new cryptocurrencies. The company pulled in $109 million in revenue last year, with a gross loss of almost $31 million. In 2018, Ebang had $318 million in revenue and a profit of more than $24 million.

What happened?

2018 was a boom year for bitcoin. But as the cryptocurrency’s price increased, mining became more expensive and sent electricity bills skyrocketing. Now, mining has moved from DIY and dorm room setups to industrial operations. 

Zoom out: Canaan Creative, a Chinese competitor, IPO'd in October. Bitmain, another competitor, tried to go public around the same time. The financial success of these mining companies is significantly impacted by the price of bitcoin.  

+ Don't call it an E-gang: Ehang, a Chinese air taxi manufacturer, IPO'd in December.

SPONSORED BY MONGODB

The Data Tells Us This Event Is a Must-Attend

You know MongoDB as the people who disrupted the database industry by making data remarkably easy to work with for a change.

But did you know that they’ve overhauled their annual user conference and created MongoDB.live, their fully virtual, 2-day event that gives you all the same experiences as if they’d held it IRL?

We’re talking stuff like their virtual “community cafe”, digital “Ask the Expert” sessions, and an interactive learning lounge where people can learn from experts in real time. 

Let’s highlight a couple MongoDB.live standouts:

• Keynote: You’ll hear about the future of data development, including all of MongoDB’s latest product announcements and feature rollouts.

• 1:1 Technical Consulting Sessions: Get your questions answered by a MongoDB technical expert in a free, 20 minute session.

There’s something for everyone at MongoDB.live. Learn more here.

AV

Pounding the Pavement

Emerging Tech Brew has exhaustively covered autonomous vehicles ramping up deliveries on the roads during the coronavirus pandemic. How about the smaller robodeliverers on the sidewalk?

It's the same story. Last-mile delivery bot companies are seeing spikes in demand. Starship and Kiwibot, two of the biggest players in the space, told Ars Technica that "they're scrambling to build new robots and roll out service to new areas in the face of unprecedented interest." 

• Autonomous sidewalk bots have been commercially active on college campuses for years. 
• They're cheap to operate and don't need tips. 
• From a tech POV, low-speed delivery on pre-mapped routes is one of the best use cases for autonomous driving. Plus, a stand-by remote operator is ready to step in if needed. 

Bigger logistics companies are developing their own bots. Amazon is testing Scout in Washington and California. FedEx has SameDay, which has been on Jimmy Fallon’s show. 

Big picture: Companies and consumers want more touchless delivery options, which is unlikely to disappear in a post-COVID world. 

Still, robots will never beat Buddy and Barley, two dogs delivering beer in Huntington, New York, during lockdown.

BITS & BYTES

Stat: Telegram has passed 400 million monthly active users, according to the company. It's a good time to be a messaging service.

Quote: "With the use of a mobile robot, hospitals are able to reduce the number of necessary medical staff at the scene and conserve their limited PPE supply"—Boston Dynamics, which has sent its Spot robots to some U.S. hospitals. 

Read: "In The Coronavirus Era, The Force Is Still With Jack Dorsey" by Vanity Fair.

SPONSORED BY ORACLE NETSUITE

Change is a constant. You’ve heard it before, but if you’re a business, how do you deal with fluctuating conditions? The level-headed, strong-minded experts at Oracle NetSuite have put together a white paper called “Managing Business Uncertainty” to answer that very question. Their 3-step plan lets you get visibility, gain control, and build agility. Download the white paper today.

WHAT ELSE IS BREWING

• AutoX, a self-driving startup, and Amap, Alibaba’s mapping product, launched an autonomous ride-hailing service in Shanghai yesterday. 
• NASA asked Americans to not break quarantine to go watch SpaceX launch astronauts into space from Cape Canaveral on May 27. 
• Auto sales are bouncing back quicker than expected. 
• 5G conspiracy theories can be traced back to an evangelical pastor who recently tried to convince Zimbabweans to use cryptocurrency. 
• Starbucks and McDonald's may test China's digital currency.

WHAT'S BREWING THIS WEEK

Monday: Case management hearing in extradition trial of Huawei CFO in Canada; SXSW virtual film festival launches on Amazon Prime

Tuesday: Earnings (Alphabet, Samsung, AMD); GamesBeat Summit and Red Hat Summit Virtual Experience through Wednesday

Wednesday: Q1 GDP; Earnings (Facebook, Microsoft, Tesla, Qualcomm, Spotify)

Thursday: Earnings (Apple, Amazon, Twitter)

Friday: Digesting all those earnings; start of May

FROM YOU...

A reader created and sent along this flowchart, which tracks how the virus could change “user experiences” across societies, interactions, workplaces, and mobility. If you have predictions for how your job, industry, or life will change post-coronavirus, send them my way.

TECH THINGAMABOBS

For tapping your inner wanderlust: “Travel” the world with livestreams of rivers, volcanoes, Hawaii, and Patagonia. 

For tracking vaccines: The WHO is tracking global vaccine efforts. 71 candidate vaccines are in preclinical evaluation; five are in clinical evaluation. Stat News is tracking potential vaccines and treatments. 

For getting smarter: Enroll in NYU Professor Scott Galloway's two-week course that breaks down the winning strategies of tech behemoths like Amazon and Apple. Due to high demand, a limited number of extra spots are now open in the exclusive Morning Brew cohort. Sign up today.*

^{*This is sponsored advertising content}