Apple Maps to Directly Display COVID-19 Testing Locations
Apple today launched an online portal for healthcare providers, labs, or other businesses, to register as COVID-19 testing locations. The Apple Maps team will then review the application, and upon approval the location will appear in Apple Maps. Although the process is similar to the Apple Maps Connect portal normally used by businesses to add information to Apple Maps, this new service includes information specific to COVID-19 testing sites.
Testing locations will appear with a red medical glyph icon and a unique “COVID-19 Testing Site” card. Apple Maps will display the place name, associated healthcare provider, contact number and website, as well as information about the type of testing location. Apple is also asking applicants to state whether the testing location will require a doctor’s referral or a scheduled appointment.
Apple does not say exactly how long it will be before testing locations will begin to appear in Maps, but assures that it is working quickly to verify and add as many testing locations as possible. The feature appears to be international.
Apple and Google yesterday announced a partnership on opt-in COVID-19 contact tracing technology for iPhone and Android smartphones.
