Apple Inc on Tuesday released a Covid-19 mobility trends report to trace the change in people’s movement across countries and cities during the coronavirus pandemic.
Apple’s report shows databased on direction requests made by apple users on Apple’s navigation service, Apple Maps. The data shows a relative volume of directions requests to Apple maps divided as per country/region or city as compared to a baseline volume on January 13, 2020.
According to Apple’s report, the movement of people in India in terms of driving saw an 83 per cent dip as of April 13 as compared to January 13. Mobility in terms of driving stood at 17.49 per cent. Walking was reduced by 75 per cent in three months down to 25.26 per cent.
In Delhi, movement in terms of driving was down to 13.56 per cent while walking was reduced to 17.47 per cent. For Mumbai, driving was down to 11.45 per cent while walking was reduced to 15.61 per cent as of April 13.
The report is meant to provide helpful insights to governments and health authorities to help them form strategies to combat COVID-19. The data can inform public health authorities on whether or not has the movement of people reduced during lockdown orders to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Apple’s report tracing the movement of people comes after search giant Google had released a similar report earlier this month based on data derived from its navigation service, Google Maps.
Earlier this month, Google had released new data on mobility trends in its ‘ Community Mobility Reports’ about how the coronavirus pandemic has cut down on foot traffic to transit centres, retail stores and public parks in over 130 countries.
According to the data, the recreational and retail segment in India witnessed a 77 per cent drop in community movement over the last month.
In India, places such as restaurants, cafes, shopping centres, theme parks, museums, libraries, and movie theatres witnessed a 77 per cent drop in traffic between February 16 and March 29 as compared to the movement of people at these places between January 3 and February 6.
Visits to national parks, public beaches, marinas, dog parks, plazas, and public gardens had dropped by 57 per cent according to the report.