Apple and Google brings COVID-19 exposure notifications on your smartphone

The two biggest mobile platforms in the world, Google and Apple, collaborated to build a contract-tracing system and enable a notification system both in Android and iOS devices.

COVID-19 Notifications on Android

COVID-19 exposure notifications

The COVID-19 exposure sensor is allegedly been installed on every single Android and iPhone device. It only works once you switch on the Bluetooth connection.

For Android smartphones, the exposure notification is located under Google settings

According to Google, technology can support the traditional methods of contact tracing by the use of exposure notifications. With this system, the app can quickly notify users who may have been exposed to a person who has contracted COVID-19. This includes those people who they might not know at all. 

Google also acknowledges that one might fear to use the exposure notifications because of security and privacy. It claimed that the system is designed with the users' privacy and security in mind.

It further explained that your identity as a user is not shared with other users, even with Google or Apple.

How to activate the Exposure notification on your smartphone?

Upon checking the Google settings menu, you can see that there's a new function called COVID-19 exposure notifications. But if you tap it, you'll discover that Google did not install any application without your permission. It means that you'll need to download a participating app to enable the new COVID-19 exposure notifications. 

Once installed, the participating app is automatically linked in the notification system

Contact tracing apps are developed by your local public health authority, not by Google or Apple.

There are various governments from all over the world that already developed participating apps using the new exposure notification system.

There are also a few participating apps that are already working here in our country namely StaySafe.ph, WeTrace, ENDCoV. 

To learn more about the COVID-19 exposure notifications, you may click this link.

Do you think this exposure notification is effective? Share with us your thoughts!

Sources: Gadgets360, Google