Apple and Google announced a significant new step in their collaboration to help public health authorities track and trace COVID-19 exposures using smartphones. The companies say they’re ready to send out an application programming interface (API) that could let health agencies enlist the help of millions of smartphones in tracking the spread of COVID-19 from person to person.

“Potentially problematic but probably surmountable is the amount of misunderstanding about the technology,” says Sarah Kreps, professor of government.