This morning, in addition to the official version of iOS 14.3/iPadOS 14.3 , Apple also pushed the iOS 12.5 update (16H20) for 14 old models including iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, etc. Support for COVID-19 exposure notifications. This is a major change because it extends contact tracking to iPhones that do not support iOS 14, including devices like the popular iPhone 6 series.
iOS 12.5 allows your iPhone to opt-in to the COVID -19 exposure notification system. The availability of the system depends on the support of the local public health agency .
iOS 12.5 provides important security updates and is recommended for all users. Some features are not available in all regions, nor are they available for all Apple devices. Apple today also released watchOS 6.3 for the old Apple Watch, bringing users an “important security update.”
How is the COVID-19 exposure notification used?
When the user enables this feature, the device will periodically send a beacon containing a random Bluetooth identifier via Bluetooth. When two people get close to each other, their phones exchange and record these Bluetooth identifiers.
If someone tests positive for COVID-19, they can proactively report the positive test to the exposure notification app in their area. The Exposure Notification API will also download a list of beacon keys that have been verified as belonging to users who are confirmed to be positive for COVID-19, and check with the list. If there is a match, it may notify the user and inform the user of the next action.
Exposure notification API is the touchstone of privacy. The biggest privacy protection of Apple and Google’s exposure notification API is that location data has no role in the way they work. The two companies said that these applications should collect as little data as possible. This Bluetooth-based approach does not require location data.
Naijatechnews reminds that this update is applicable to iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, and the sixth-generation iPod touch. These devices no longer support iOS 13.
Update method:
1. iTunes upgrade: download the firmware, open the latest version of iTunes on the desktop, press “Shift + Update” at the same time, select the firmware to be flashed, and leave the following actions to Apple.
2. Users of the official version of the system can update directly via OTA, and users of the beta version need to manually delete the corresponding description files and restart the phone to receive the system update.
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