The new update to the NHS COVID-19 track and tracing app has been blocked by both Apple and Google, due to its failure to comply with the terms of a recent agreement. The new update would urge users to upload logs of venue check-ins via a barcode scan if they tested positive for COVID-19. The goal was to use this to warn other individuals in case of infection. However, both Apple and Google had banned this function from the start, as the health authorities who signed up agreed not to collect any location data.
As a result, Apple and Google have barred the update and kept the old version live on their app stores. The Department of Health has refused to give commentary on how this misstep occurred. On the other hand, Scotland managed to avoid the issues by releasing an application separate to its Protect Scotland contract-tracing app.
