Apple Installs COVID-19 Contact Tracing Feature Into iOS 13.7

By Dana Cruz First Posted: Sep 03, 2020 03:09 AM EDT

Apple released iOS 13.7 on Tuesday, adding support for their new exposure system that can be used for COVID-19 contact tracing.

(Photo : Photo by Eric Thayer/Getty Images)
The Apple logo is displayed at the Apple Store June 17, 2015 on Fifth Avenue in New York City.

The new system in Apple iOS 13.7 is an extension of the current COVID-19 contact tracing efforts. It removes the burden of states having to build a dedicated app, said a report from The Verge.

News of the COVID-19 contact tracing software was first announced early on Tuesday in a statement from both Apple and Google.

The iOS 13.7 update is likely going to be the last operating system update for Apple before iOS 14 hits. There isn't much updates for the Apple features other than the contact tracing app, noted Forbes.

Google Also Develops Contact Tracing App

News on Apple and Google working towards a contact tracing app isn't new. There have been reports of the companies' plans for a wide-scale adoption across the world for some time now.

The exposure notification feature API was first revealed in April but its arrival date was a mystery then.

According to a CNBC report, the contact tracing app will come with the iOS and Android operating systems of phones. In a previous announcement, the system was supposedly powered by a third-part public health authority app.

Apple and Google clarified that there are six existing apps for COVID-19 contact tracing efforts. All of these apps will continue to work.

They added that there will be efforts for contact tracing apps that can deal with state lines so COVID-19 information can be exchanged between local health offices.

How Does it Work?

The exposure system uses Bluetooth signals from smartphones. It will find out how closely and for how long other phones were nearby without collecting the user's identity and location.

If one of the phone's users were tested positive for COVID-19, the system will send a notification to the other participating phones that could have been exposed.

The system, known as "Exposure Notifications Express" also lets public health groups to send notifications to people at risk of exposure. They won't be needed to build or maintain the apps.

This feature is on an opt-in basis, meaning notifications won't automatically pop up on phones once updated. There are some steps to be followed so users can take advantage of the new operating system update.

How Can iPhone Users Enable It?

To have the new features, users have to make sure their phone is updated to iOS 13.7 or newer. People with Automatic Updates turned on are likely to have it already.

Once that is done, users have to go back to their phone settings and tap "Turn on Exposure Notifications."

The app will ask for the person's country, possibly their region or state. Doing so will let the user know if their country or region has a contact tracing app.

The update will point users to their own country's contact tracing app where they can enable notifications for tracking and updates.

Users will be notified of exposure to the virus through other participating phones. The other participating user also has to note that they tested positive using the app.

A step-by-step guide on activating the notifications was created by Business Insider, containing screenshots of which button a user has to press.