(Bloomberg) – Apple Inc. on Wednesday released an early version of its iPhone software that allows users to opt-in to the company’s Covid-19 contact tracking system without installing a public health app.
The beta update, known as version iOS 13.7, is available to a group of testers who have signed up to try out software updates before they are released to the public.
The new system “lets you opt-in to the COVID-19 Exposure Notifications system without the need to download an app,” Apple said in its release notes for testers. “System availability depends on support from your local public health authority.”
Apple first launched the contact tracking system with Google in May. The first version required users to download an app for public health, an additional step that limited potential user limitation. This latest update, which Apple and Google call “Phase 2”, skips that step.
Read more: Apple, Google Bring Covid-19 Contact to 3 Billion People
However, Apple users still have to opt for a new Exposure Notifications menu in the iPhone Settings app. The feature also requires users to live in an area where a public health authority provides an app. Currently, only six U.S. states – Alabama, Arizona, Nevada, Wyoming, Virginia, and North Dakota – use the Apple and Google systems. Other countries, including Switzerland, Austria and the United Kingdom have also adopted it.
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