Just a week after launch, the TousAntiCovid app has achieved remarkable success with millions of downloads. However, it faces challenges including incompatibility with older smartphones and various bugs.
As the second wave of COVID-19 sweeps through France, the government rolled out TousAntiCovid on October 22, 2020. Designed to alert users who've been near someone testing positive for the coronavirus, the app speeds up contact tracing and care alongside healthcare professionals and insurers. Ultimately, it aims to break transmission chains.
Refined for better usability and content, TousAntiCovid now features a real-time epidemic news feed and usage stats to build momentum and encourage adoption.
Five days post-launch, reports from Europe 1 highlighted its triumph: over four million downloads. Yet, as Nice Matin noted on October 26, issues persist—notably incompatibility with older devices and user-reported bugs.
Users encountered glitches in feature access and homepage freezes, attributed by Secretary of State for Digital Transition Cédric O to a surge in connections. Many also flagged incompatibility with older smartphones.
For instance, Nice Matin spoke with an iPhone 5C owner unable to install it, despite other apps working fine—likely tied to outdated operating systems. The app particularly falters on devices lacking full Bluetooth Low Energy support, affecting Android models like Samsung Galaxy J6 and J7. A full list of incompatible devices includes brands such as Alcatel, BlackBerry, CrossCall, Doro, Google, LG, Huawei, Orange, Oppo, Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, Sony, Wiko, and Xiaomi.
TousAntiCovid has outperformed its predecessor StopCovid, which saw "only" 2.6 million downloads since June 2020. Still, both trail apps in Germany and the UK, which garnered 15 to 20 million downloads.
