iOS 13.7 is coming today with app-less Exposure Notifications

Apple is releasing iOS 13.7 today, and you'll now be able to turn on Exposure Notifications without having to install an app. Google is going to have a similar feature later this month.

Rich Woods former Senior Editor for North America Neowin @TheRichWoods · Sep 1, 2020 13:02 EDT with 17 comments

Last week, Apple launched an iOS 13.7 beta for developers, and just a few days later, it's not available for everyone. You might recall that for iOS 13.5, Apple introduced its Exposure Notification API, which let users download an official app that would use your location to tell if you've been in contact with anyone that's tested positive for COVID-19.

With iOS 13.7, you won't need an app anymore. Now you can go right into Settings and turn the feature on. That's pretty much all that's new in iOS 13.7.

The Exposure Notification API was developed in collaboration with Google, and Google is going to add it to Android settings as well. This is coming later this month, and you'll need Android 6.0 or higher to see it.

The whole idea is that public health authorities don't actually need to create their own app anymore. Remember, original API was limited to one official public health authority, and no one else could use it. Now, instead of having to develop an app, Apple and Google can operate the Exposure Notifications System for them.