We have heard about Apple and Google working on some useful COVID-19 feature for all its users from the last couple of months. And finally, Apple did a great job by adding the new Exposure Notifications Express on iOS 13.7 update.
Today, Apple releases the new iOS 13.7 update for its users. So you can update or download iOS 13.7 right now via heading to the Settings app on your iPhone.
With this new Exposure Notifications Express system on iOS 13.7, Apple lets public health authorities to support COVID-19 contact tracing without developing and maintaining their own application. Apple has collaborated with other COVID-19 cure centers to make this feature work properly.
Earlier, Apple and Google announced they would work on the COVID-19 Exposure Notification API. And then, Apple started the first phase with the iOS 13.5, which needed to download the app from their public health authority to opt-in to Exposure Notification. After that, they insisted that users won’t have to depend on the public authorities and implement much of the COVID-19 Exposure Notification technology directly into iOS. So they made some changes to the feature.
iOS 13.7 + Exposure Notifications Express
With the new Exposure Notifications Express system on iOS 13.7 to opt-in to the system in Public health authorities.
For public health authorities, the process of adopting Exposure Notifications Express is significantly streamlined compared to adopting the Exposure Notification API. Public health authorities simply fill out a config file that includes their name, logo, criteria for triggering an exposure notification, and information and protocol displayed to users following an exposure.
So Apple is now completely dependent on the COVID-19 Exposure Notifications Express system in iOS 13.7. So the companies say they will use the detail provided by the public health authorities to offer a fully operational Exposure Notification Systems on behalf of the public health authority directly integrated with the iOS 13.7.
Hence, these Public health authorities have maximum control over the system, although they don’t have to design their own app. It will let them control how the notifications are triggered and what to give them next some advice and guidance for exposed individuals.
New iOS 13.7 changes
Now you can directly activate COVID-19 Exposure Notifications in the Settings app. You will have to agree to the public health agency terms and opt-in to receive the push notification when the local public health authority adopts Exposure Notifications Express.
After activating the exposure notifications in the Settings app, your device will start monitoring with Bluetooth to log possible exposures so that you can get alert of potential COVID-19 exposure to depend on the guideline set by the local public health authority.
So this feature will maximize the adoption, both from users and public health authorities. Some public health authorities in the US to adopt the Exposure Notification Express system will be Maryland, Nevada, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
Currently, 25 states and territories are representing more than 55% of the population are offering the Exposure Notification system solution.
It seems like Apple and Google are finally added the Exposure Notifications Express feature for its users. They also took care of user’s privacy as they promised it wouldn’t be compromised. If you have installed the iOS 13.7 update on your device and started using this new feature, please share your feedback with us in the comment box.