In 2020, Apple and Google jointly introduced the Encounter Notifications API for COVID-19 monitoring. The feature was intended to warn of possible COVID-19 exposure and enable testing and, if necessary, isolation.
Three years later, Apple is now giving health authorities the option to stop using the Encounter Notifications API. In iOS 16.4, Apple gave health authorities the option to end support for the Encounter Notifications API. If a health authority decides to end support for this feature, users will see a message on their iPhone informing them of this decision.
This message appears
Your health authority has turned off encounter notifications. Your iPhone will no longer track nearby devices and will no longer be able to notify you of potential exposures. Previously recorded exposure data will be automatically deleted.
Apple and Google had high hopes for the Encounter Notifications platform, but it failed to gain traction, largely because it was only adopted sporadically by governments and health authorities around the world. You can manage Encounter Notifications on your iPhone by selecting the Encounter Notifications menu in the Settings application.
iOS 16.4 at a glance
The iOS 16.4 update Apple's update includes a number of new features. One of the most important is the extension of the duplicate detection feature in the Photos app to the shared iCloud Photo Library to detect and merge duplicate photos and videos. In addition, the update fixes issues such as VoiceOver support for maps in the Weather app, purchase requests on the parent's device, and bugs with Matter-compatible thermostats. The update also includes Hints of new AirPodsthat could be released in the near future. However, it remains unclear whether this is some kind of iterative update or if new AirPods are actually on the way. (Photo by annastasiia7 / Bigstockphoto)
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