It’s as much about testing/showcasing emerging standards as anything. Per The Verge:
If you’ve got an Android device, just open up the Chrome browser and go to goo.gle/sodar to launch the tool, named SODAR. There’s no app required, though it won’t work on iOS or older Android devices. Your phone will use augmented reality to map the space around you, superimposing a two-meter radius circle on the view from your camera.
Sodar – use WebXR to help visualise social distancing guidelines in your environment. Using Sodar on supported mobile devices, create an augmented reality two meter radius ring around you. #hacktohelp https://t.co/Bu78QrEN9f pic.twitter.com/kufatNFDQk
— Experiments with Google (@ExpWithGoogle) May 28, 2020
Sorry.
Google is VERY well known for tracking people without their permission.
Why in the world would anyone want to willingly install a tracking app?
No offence John, but… really?
How is this a tracking app? AFAIK the way these Web standards are constructed, no pixels leave your phone.
Hmm…
How does Google track you now?
And yes, Google tracks everyone, yet I don’t recall ever saying “Google, please track me”.
It’s called, and I’m not alone on this, “No I don’t believe Google when they say they don’t track what you do, where you do it, and who you’re with when you do it.
Google long ago lost any appearance of fairness in their actions.
So, yes, why would I want to install an app they say won’t track me?