Almost 1.5 million people will not be able to use the government’s coronavirus tracking app because their smartphones use older software, news website Nu.nl said on Friday.

The CoronaMelder app only works on phones with Android 6.0 or higher and iOS 13.5 or higher, Nu.nl said. This is because it is based on Google and Apple frameworks which use these software versions.

However, 5% of Android and 15% of iPhones use older technology, so users won’t be able to install the software. In addition, a further 278,000 smartphones run on a different operating system entirely.

‘Most people will be able to use the app,’ a health ministry spokesman told Nu.nl. ‘But the app is an additional tool. The regular contact tracing system is ongoing and will remain available to people without the app.’

The app has been downloaded 800,000 times so far.