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10th Aug 2020

Covid Tracker app battery problem to be fixed, HSE says

Alan Loughnane

Covid Tracker app

The HSE is working with Google for a fix.

Smartphone users in Ireland who saw an unusually large battery drain due to the Covid Tracker App will see the issue fixed, the Health Service Executive has said.

Reports emerged over the weekend of some Android phones experiencing a strong depletion of battery life, with the Covid Tracker App being blamed for the issue.

While Apple iOS does not appear to have been affected, some major Android smartphones, including Samsung and Huawei, were affected by the issue.

The HSE has confirmed that it is aware of the issues currently surrounding the app and said that it is communicating with Google to find a fix for problem.

“Sorry to anyone that has had issues with the app this weekend,” said the HSE in a statement. “We have identified the problem that some users with Android phones are experiencing. Google are working with us to fix it as soon as possible.”

It’s believed the issue stems from an recent update to the Google Play Store and has caused the Covid Tracker App, which runs in the background, to use more battery power than normal.

The app was launched a month ago and has over 1.5 million registered users.

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