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.
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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.