Earlier this month Apple and Google announced a joint effort to enable APIs and operating system-level technology to assist in enabling contact tracing using Bluetooth in the phones. The companies also announced they will release APIs that enable interoperability between Android and iOS devices using apps from public health authorities.
Today Apple has released Beta 3 of iOS 13.5, the first pre-release version of iOS to contain the code needed to run apps built using the exposure notification API. This is opt-in and can be enabled from Privacy Settings. Similarly, Google has delivered its beta Google Play Services update with the exposure notification API and the accompanying SDK privately to select developers who can begin testing using Android Developer Studio.
In addition, the update also brings face mask detection so that FaceID will now detect if you’re wearing a face mask and automatically prompt for a passcode. The update also lets users to disable a feature in FaceTime video calls that allows active speaker grows larger in the asymmetric grid. Once disabled, you’ll have to tap on a person’s feed to make it prominent in the grid.
iOS 13.5 beta also patches two security vulnerabilities that affect the Mail app on the iPhone and the iPad. Stable iOS 13.5 roll out is expected sometime in May.