CALIFORNIA — During an update on the state's response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the rollout of a new exposure tracking application produced in a partnership with tech giants Google and Apple.

"There’s been a lot of discussion around apps," Gov. Newsom said. "Two of California's best-known HQ tech companies Google and Apple have joined together to provide exposure notification."

The pilot program for the app, which is called CA Notify, began in September and was expanded in November across seven different University of California campuses with more than 250,000 participants taking part.

The system relies on Bluetooth technology and differs from contact tracing. Phones with the app can exchange key information with one another. When someone who has opted in to the program tests positive for COVID-19, smartphone users who've been potentially exposed to that individual will receive an alert on their phones informing them they may have been exposed.

"This is a pilot that we’re bringing to the state as a statewide opportunity," Newsom said.

The app will be rolled out on Thursday, December 10, and can be downloaded from the Google Play Store for Android devices. For iPhones, the app is already installed and merely requires users to go to their settings, activate it, and follow the prompts. 

Gov. Newsom emphasized that the app worked purely on an opt-in basis and does not track a user's location.

"You have the ability to use this technology if you choose,” he said.

The governor also provided an update on statewide coronavirus numbers, citing 24,735 new daily cases and a new seven-day average of 21,924 cases.

Newsom called these numbers “substantially greater than what we have seen in the past.”

The governor also announced a new ad campaign rollout involving billboards promoting social distancing, mask-wearing, and other recommended precautions.