Fact check: Has COVID-19 sensor been 'inserted' in every phone?

Origin

Several people have been forwarding messs on WhatsApp and or social media platforms claiming that a COVID-19 exposure sensor has been silently 'inserted' in every phone. mess claims that everyone was having phone disruptions recently due to COVID-19 trackers which have been newly installed in people's phones. Here's what mess re - 

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In actuality, mess above is referencing to COVID-19 contact tracing system that has been built with a joint effort from Apple and Google. new system allows iPhones and Android devices to enable COVID-19 exposure tifications. This, in reality, does t translate that a tracker has been installed in every device in order to track a user's location or any or details. Various messs also claimed that 'application' which has been secretly installed in every phone becomes functional once Bluetooth service is turned on. 

What are COVID-19 exposure settings?

COVID-19 exposure logging in iOS

COVID-19 tification settings in Android

messs going viral on social media are circulating half-cooked information and do t provide a complete understanding of matter. Indeed, a new service has been introduced on both iOS and Android device but y require a participating application to turn on COVID-19 exposure setting. Various countries around world have built participating apps for se settings to work on devices, but India is t a part of bunch as of w. 

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Similarly, on iOS devices, COVID-19 exposure logging is turned off by default, this means that application has been silently 'inserted' any devices. In basic terms, Apple and Android have given ir devices a basic framework that is required to track COVID-19 exposure for its users. As per reports, Apple and Google wish to provide COVID-19 related contact tracing without requiring a dedicated application. But re have been concrete developments about same.

Google Trends Analysis

As forwarded messs about a COVID-19 tracker being installed in devices started going viral, a number of users took to Google and searched for same. This resulted in a surge in search results around topics like 'COVID 19 sensor on phones', 'COVID 19 sensor in Google' and 'COVID 19 exposure tification'. Check out Google Trends analysis below - 

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