iOS 13.5 brings improvements for face masks, COVID-19 contract tracing


Apple released iOS 13.5 today with two features that are the result of the COVID-19 pandemic. First makes it easier to unlock your phone with your passcode while wearing a mask. Second bring support for contact tracing apps. The contact tracing foundation was created in partnership with Google and bring support for third-party public health apps.

The Verge:

On previous versions of iOS, if you were wearing a face mask and tried to use Face ID to access your phone, you’d have to wait for a couple seconds while your iPhone attempted to identify your face before it would let you enter a passcode. In iOS 13.5, though, if you swipe up once from the bottom of the screen while you’re wearing a mask, you’ll see the option to enter your passcode right away.

iOS 13.5 also supports Apple and Google’s exposure notification API, meaning you’ll be able to use apps developed by public health agencies that send you a notification if you may have been in contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19. The system is inactive until you have an app installed that uses the API, however.