Apple and Google have announced that future versions of the iOS and Android operating systems will include the companies’ COVID-19 notification system that previously required users to install an app. The new software will be included in iOS 13.7, which is due to arrive any minute now.
The exposure notification system uses Bluetooth signals from smartphones that have opted-in to determine how closely and for how long two phones were nearby, without collecting the location or identify of the users. The ability to opt-in to the system without downloading an app is intended to improve adoption of the system, which would improve its effectivity, as it requires a large number of people sharing Bluetooth signals to work.
