Federated Smartphone-Cloud Architecture

Components of one App can communicate with components of another App as peers

The following diagram illustrates this architecture:

The Federation typically occurs between the App’s Cloud Components, but can also occur between the Smartphone Components.

Example:

• E-mail with an e-mail client such as Mail.app on macOS.
• Contact tracing Apps developed by different organizations that can share information with each other.

Advantages:

• similar as for Smartphone-Cloud Architecture; plus:
• creates an incentive for innovation;
• creates checks and balances between App Operators who all operate similar Apps, which can at least be compared with (and possible substituted by) other Apps.

Disadvantages/risks:

• similar as for Smartphone-Cloud Architecture; plus:
• technically more complex and, in total, more expensive
• additional components and communication channels need to be defended.