Apple has announced that it will release iOS 13.7 to the public today, including a major expansion of the COVID-19 Exposure Notification platform. Apple and Google have unveiled a new Exposure Notifications Express system that allows public health authorities to support COVID-19 contact tracing without developing and maintaining their own application.

iOS 13.7 + Exposure Notifications Express

“The basis of the new Exposure Notifications Express system is included in iOS 13.7, which Apple is releasing to all iPhone owners today. Public health authorities still have to opt-in to the system.

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 that is displayed to users following an exposure.

Apple and Google are shouldering much more of the responsibility of the COVID-19 Exposure Notifications Express system. The companies say that they will use the information provided by the public health authorities to offer a fully operational Exposure Notification Systems on behalf of the public health authority directly integrated into iOS 13.7.

Public health authorities still have full control over the system, though, despite not needing to develop their own application. This includes controlling how the notifications are triggered, what next steps are to advise, and guidance for exposed individuals.“