Google and Apple on Tuesday announced a new system that will enable public health authorities to use smartphones to assist in contact tracing without having to build an app.
Alphabet ‘s Google and Apple on Tuesday announced a new system that will enable public health authorities to use smartphones to assist in contact tracing without having to build an app. The new system, called Exposure Notifications Express, will allow public health officials to submit a small configuration file to Apple and Google. The two tech companies will then use the file to set up systems that phone owners can opt in to in order to determine whether they have been near someone who has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. In the case of iPhones, a new version of the iOS operating system being released on Tuesday will alert users whether an exposure notification system is available from local health authorities and allow users to set it up without downloading any new apps.
