What is this Covid-19 Track app?

[Android Central Question]

My boss came to me today with his Samsung Galaxy S8 through Boost mobile, and he had an app show up over the weekend called Covid-19 Track. It automatically shows up on his homescreen, and when I remove the icon from his homescreen, it comes back when he locks and then unlocks his screen. When I slide up from the homescreen to show all of his apps the icon is there, but when I press and hold it automatically tries to add it to his homescreen instead of giving me the option to uninstall. If I go to settings > apps, the app is not listed.

Anybody have any ideas on what this is / where it came from? I checked all his permissions and nothing has authorization to install apps outside of the Playstore. I tried using Google image search on the icon and found nothing.

 

[aplummer0313]

Here's an image of the app icon:

 

[aplummer0313]

Thanks! I already registered. I thought it would ask me to whenever I posted the question.

 

[mustang7757]

Thanks! I already registered. I thought it would ask me to whenever I posted the question.

My bad lol

 

[me just saying]

go to your apps in settings again, but this time include all system apps. not sure where it is at on that phone but try the top right for three dots and click it.

 

[Javier P]

Maybe this?

https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/13/...-tracking-updates-google-play-contact-tracing

It seems they intended to push the app through Play Services.

 

[aplummer0313]

I tried that thinking it might be from the update Google was going to push from the Playstore, but no luck. There's nothing.

I found a .png at the location in the attached image that looks like it's the icon for the app. Any idea what com.myhomescreen.sms is?

 

[aplummer0313]

I've seen this article, but I don't think that's it. If it was through Play, shouldn't all phones get it at once? Even if that's not the case, I wouldn't expect a 3 year old phone running on Boost Mobile to be the first to get it lol. I haven't seen it on anybody else's device, including my S20.

The app doesn't look like it has anything to do with bluetooth tracking or anything. It didn't ask for any permissions, and when you open it, it just shows a by-state breakdown of confirmed cases of Covid-19, then has a news tab.

 

[Javier P]

If you long press the icon on the home screen you should be able to get more info about the app.

 

[mustang7757]

I've seen this article, but I don't think that's it. If it was through Play, shouldn't all phones get it at once? Even if that's not the case, I wouldn't expect a 3 year old phone running on Boost Mobile to be the first to get it lol. I haven't seen it on anybody else's device, including my S20.

The app doesn't look like it has anything to do with bluetooth tracking or anything. It didn't ask for any permissions, and when you open it, it just shows a by-state breakdown of confirmed cases of Covid-19, then has a news tab.

When you long press it dont give option to uninstall? Or tap more info then uninstall?

 

[me just saying]

I've seen this article, but I don't think that's it. If it was through Play, shouldn't all phones get it at once? Even if that's not the case, I wouldn't expect a 3 year old phone running on Boost Mobile to be the first to get it lol. I haven't seen it on anybody else's device, including my S20.

The app doesn't look like it has anything to do with bluetooth tracking or anything. It didn't ask for any permissions, and when you open it, it just shows a by-state breakdown of confirmed cases of Covid-19, then has a news tab.

it is never all at once, especially this one considering all the phones in the US. I hope the article is wrong because once it is installed, who knows what it would be used for after everything is over.

 

[aplummer0313]

When you long press it dont give option to uninstall? Or tap more info then uninstall?

Nope, if I long press the icon on his apps page, it just tries to add it to the homescreen. Long pressing the icon on the homescreen only allows you to move the icon. It gives me the option to remove it, but when he powers the screen off then back on the icon reappears at the top of his homescreen.

 

[aplummer0313]

No info options or anything come up, it just lets you move the icon. You can remove the icon by dragging it to the top of the screen like any other icon, but it reappears when he turns his screen off and back on.

 

[Kizzy Catwoman]

We have a different app in the UK. Not rolled out yet but I believe Google and Apple are rolling out a covid tracing api to countries wanting to use it.

 

[mustang7757]

No info options or anything come up, it just lets you move the icon. You can remove the icon by dragging it to the top of the screen like any other icon, but it reappears when he turns his screen off and back on.

You went to system settings >apps >not listed there , and not listed in download of Google play?

 

[Javier P]

No info options or anything come up, it just lets you move the icon. You can remove the icon by dragging it to the top of the screen like any other icon, but it reappears when he turns his screen off and back on.

Try this. Tap the icon to open the app, go to the Play Store, in the side menu (hamburger icon) select "My apps & games", select the "Installed" tab, tap "Last updated" and select "Last used". Which apps do you see on that list?

 

[aplummer0313]

You went to system settings >apps >not listed there , and not listed in download of Google play?

Nope, not listed in either of those locations. Under settings > apps I changed to include system apps thinking it could be the app Google was talking about pushing, and still nothing. Since it wasn't under his downloads in Google Play I assumed it was installed through one of his other apps, but I checked his permissions and no other apps have permission to install APKs.

 

[Javier P]

Nope, not listed in either of those locations. Under settings > apps I changed to include system apps thinking it could be the app Google was talking about pushing, and still nothing. Since it wasn't under his downloads in Google Play I assumed it was installed through one of his other apps, but I checked his permissions and no other apps have permission to install APKs.

That's weird. What about this? Open that app and without leaving it open the recent apps/app switcher. Take a screenshot and post it here.

 

[mustang7757]

Also drag to home screen long press it then tap info and screen shot it

 

[aplummer0313]

That's weird. What about this? Open that app and without leaving it open the recent apps/app switcher. Take a screenshot and post it here.

Will do. He went home for lunch, should be back in about 15 mins.