Hi, I'm Dan Pramak and welcome to Axios Recap, presented by Bridge Bank. Be safe, venture wisely.

Today's Tuesday, September 1st. Zoom stock is way up, McDonald's stock is way down, and we're focused on Silicon Valley's contact tracing fail.

Earlier today, Apple and Google announced plans to expand their

coronavirus warning software, allowing states to participate without building customized apps.

Now, if you've got an iPhone or Android device and wonder what coronavirus warning software,

you're not alone.

The companies first announced their plans back in April, but then hit speed bump after speed bump, many of which were of their own making.

Here was the hope.

I would have this app on my phone.

If I were to get diagnosed with COVID-19, I would type that into the app, and then the

app would use geotracking software to warn everyone with whom I'd been near over the past couple weeks.

Not just people I know, but also the stranger at the coffee shop who happened to be standing nearby.

That never really happened.

For starters, state health agencies were required to each build their own apps, and when they wanted special

permission to do things like constantly ping user locations, they were denied by Apple and

Google. And users were required to download these apps, not just opt-in, but actively download

them, which led to low adoption, even among the six states that participated.

All of which leads to today's announcement, which obviously comes very late in the pandemic,

but perhaps could still slowly help us more safely reopen schools and workplaces.

We'll go deeper in 15 seconds with Reid Albergotti, a Washington Post tech reporter who's

been following the story.

But first, this.

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