The next iPhone update will let you see COVID-19 exposure notifications without downloading any contact-tracing apps

• Apple is preparing to launch an iOS update that will let users turn on COVID-19 exposure notifications without downloading a government contact tracing app.
• Apple's COVID-19 contact tracing tech uses Bluetooth to notify people when their iPhone comes into close contact with someone who has self-identified as positive for COVID-19.
• At first, the iPhone contact tracing tech would only work for people who downloaded a contact tracing app from a local public health authority, but iOS 13.7 will allow any users to opt in to notifications.
• The update could help expand the number of people participating in Apple's contact tracing tech, which would make it more effective.

The next iPhone software update could make it easier for people to opt into Apple's COVID-19 contact tracing technology, enabling all iPhone users to turn on exposure notifications without downloading a third-party app.

Apple's contact tracing technology, developed alongside Google, uses Bluetooth in smartphones to notify people when they come into close contact with a person who's tested positive for COVID-19. Up until now, iPhone users could only turn on the exposure notifications if they also had a contact tracing app developed by a public health authority.

The next iPhone update, iOS 13.7, was released in beta for developers this week. Apple said in its update notes that iOS 13.7 "lets you opt-in to the COVID-19 Exposure Notifications system without the need to download an app." 9to5Mac first reported this news.

The update could help COVID-19 contact tracing technology overcome a major hurdle: in order for it to be effective, more people need to opt in. So far, only a handful of states have shown interest in developing apps that use the contact tracing tech from Apple and Google.

However, certain functions may still be limited for iPhone users who don't have a public health authority app installed. Apple notes in the update that "system availability depends on support from your local public health authority," but it's not clear exactly which functions would be limited.

Apple and Google have said they won't retain any health data, and will instead rely on government agencies to keep logs of users who test positive, meaning people may still need to download a public health authority app in order to confirm a positive case.

An Apple spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.