Apple released iOS 12. 5 for older iPhone models , bringing support for notifications of exposure to COVID – 19 . This is a major change as it expands contact tracking to iPhones that don’t support iOS 14, such as the models of the iPhone 6 series, still quite widespread today.

Below is the changelog released by Apple on the new OS:

iOS 12. 5 allows you to activate the COVID exposure notification system – 19 on your iPhone. The availability of the system depends on the support of the local public health authority. For more information, see covid 19. Apple.com

The update is therefore highly recommended since contact tracing is another weapon to prevent potentially fatal infections. Apple further states that iOS 12. 5 introduces several security updates, and at the same time also released watchOS 6.3 also with “important security updates”.

How COVID contact tracing works – 19 of iOS 12. 5?

When a user enables the feature, the device regularly sends data via Bluetooth containing a unique code, which is shared to all nearby phones. When a user tests positive for COVID – 19 can report (through a health assistant) the test result to the local notification app. The contact tracing API manages a list of identifiers belonging to phones owned by users who tested positive, and of all the identifiers of phones that have had close contact with the former.

In the presence of any matches, the API notifies the user who has come into contact with the “positive” identifier, and the app sends all the necessary information on how to behave. All this happens anonymously, since not only does the API not collect data and credentials on people, but it does not need to use the geolocation of the device to work effectively. What you need is to simply keep Bluetooth active.