Apple Releases iOS 13.7 With Exposure Notifications Express System

The system allows public health authorities to deploy a COVID-19 tracking system without having to create an app.

Apple and Google discussed the new feature in a statement:

“As the next step in our work with public health authorities on Exposure Notifications, we are making it easier and faster for them to use the Exposure Notifications System without the need for them to build and maintain an app. Exposure Notifications Express provides another option for public health authorities to supplement their existing contact tracing operations with technology without compromising on the project’s core tenets of user privacy and security. Existing apps using the ‌Exposure Notification‌ API will be compatible with Exposure Notifications Express, and we are committed to supporting public health authorities that have deployed or are building custom apps.”

Washington, D.C., Nevada, Virginia, and Maryland will be the first states to take advantage of the new Exposure Notifications Express system.

If you’re in those locations, you’ll see a notification that shows the system is available. Selecting the notification will take a user to the Settings menu to turn on the feature. The system is turned off by default and you’ll have to opt-in.

There is also a new iPadOS 13.7 update with bug fixes. The Exposure Notification Express doesn’t work on the tablet.