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9 Ways Apps Are Harnessing iOS Live Activities

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iOS 16 introduced Live Activities, which is supported by all newer versions of the operating system. We’ll explain what it is and when to use this handy iPhone tool.

What is Live Activities on your iPhone?

With the upgrade to iOS 16.1, Apple has added a tool for everyone who wants to stay up to date. The company defines Live Activities as ongoing, interactive notifications displayed immediately on the lock screen.

Live Activities are widgets that can update information online. Its banners are more significant than standard notifications. That is, you can see the information you are interested in without going into the application, which will be updated as needed.

This innovation first appeared on the iPhone 14 Pro, replacing the notch with the new Dynamic Island. It solves the problem of where to place the camera and contributes to the overall iPhone functionality. Dynamic Island is now the hub for this functionality, working perfectly with the always-on display.

Continuous Development From Apple

A big update added this feature to the Apple Sports app. Now, following sports events has become easier. You can instantly receive live streams of matches of your most-liked teams.

Apple News has also implemented Live Activities to track the US elections, allowing you to stay up to date without interrupting your daily activities. This became a great convenience for users who want to spend their time on something other than checking the news.

Third-party apps also actively support this innovation. Uber Eats and DoorDash simplify tracking food deliveries, and various restaurant and delivery apps offer similar features.

Endless Possibilities of Live Activities

The advantages are obvious: It makes it easier for users to engage with apps and quickly view relevant information. This increases user loyalty and satisfaction.

Live Activities are engaging for the following industries and use cases, among others:

  • Sports – real-time statistics on games & competitions
  • News – breaking news & live ticker
  • Fitness – statistics during your workout
  • Delivery – current information on delivery
  • Entertainment – live updates on events & concerts
  • Travel – flight & booking updates
  • And many more!

How Famous Apps Use iOS Live Activities

The central point of Live Activities support is, for sure, in various sports-related apps. For example, Slopes is used by skiers and snowboarders to track data on each descent and ascent and get information on speed, elevation gain, and distance traveled.

For many, this app allows you to find friends with the same interests. With Live Activities, information about friends on the same slope, the distance covered, and the elevation are displayed on the screen.

1. Mountain App

The Landscape app has approximately the same functionality, only it is designed for climbing mountains, not skiing and snowboarding. In real time, you can track your ascent graph, distance traveled, and altitude gain.

2. Sports App

The Liftin application has launched Live Activities for those who prefer more traditional sports. You can track the number of reps, rest timer, and the duration of each workout set directly from the lock screen.

If you have a recent iPhone Pro, you can launch a workout directly in the application, and all the necessary information will appear on both the lock screen and Dynamic Island.

If Liftin does not work for you, use the SmartGym application. This is a handy tool for weightlifting. Thanks to Live Activities, you can effortlessly track your progress in real time right from your lock screen, making it a convenient tool for fitness enthusiasts.

3. Sports Events App

But what if you prefer not to play sports but follow them? For football fans, the FotMob is a perfect match app. Here, you need to select your favorite leagues and teams, and as soon as a game involving them starts, it will instantly show up on the lock screen.

If you want to track a match not from the list of your subscriptions, then click on the star, and it will immediately be shown on the lock screen.

4. Recipe App

However, the world is not limited to sports. Sometimes you want to eat something tasty. Here, the Pestle application will help. It allows users to import any recipe from the Internet and turn it into a step-by-step process displayed on the lock screen with a special timer.

All you have to do is follow the guide step by step without being distracted by anything. This is a very convenient feature for those who like to cook.

The app also has additional options: creating a shopping list, a 14-day meal plan, and scanning recipes from paper with subsequent recognition. Users note that the app converts recipes into a very convenient format for cooking.

5. Grocery App

Grocery is an innovative, well-designed grocery shopping and meal planning app. Its support for syncing with iCloud and reminders helps you keep your list organized while shopping.

You can easily add shopping list items from Siri and Recipes. Live activity support on the lock screen makes tracking your shopping list or recipe timer convenient.

6. Flight Tracking App

Flighty is an iOS flight-tracking app with a sleek and user-friendly interface. The latest version displays information about your planned trip on your iPhone’s lock screen three hours before departure. You can also check flight status immediately on Dynamic Island.

7. Weather App

Carrot Weather is an iOS and macOS app that shows the weather forecast in its original form. Now, you can see details about weather events like rain or strong winds directly on your iPhone’s home screen or Dynamic Island.

8. Music App

The Soor app is excellent for those who want more than the standard Apple Music app. It works on iPhone and iPad. Now, users can see song lyrics on the screen with Live Active and Dynamic Island.

9. Remote Control App

If you have an Apple TV, a TV remote app is a must-have for every iPhone. Now, the most essential buttons are accessible directly through Live Activity, including on the lock screen and Dynamic Island.

The Live Activities Limitations

In September 2024, it became evident that Live Activities could not be updated as frequently in iOS 18. App developer Nico reported this on X, stating that previously, they could update Live Activities every second. However, starting with iOS 18, they can only update every 5-15 seconds.

Apple explained the change by stating that each update writes data to disk, leading to excessive wear on the device’s NAND storage. The company clarified that Live Activities never intended to deliver “real concurrent experiences,” describing the previous capability as an unintended “API loophole.”

This should not affect Live Activities that have time tracking, such as Uber or Lyft, which display a countdown timer for your arrival time. These apps don’t require frequent data refreshes from the app to function well.

Final Words

IOS Live Activities makes the iPhone lock screen practical for users. It allows them to track real-time information efficiently and conveniently without frequently going to the app. It’s a simple way to stay on top of things, save time, and keep important information at your fingertips!

The Intersection of Radar Technology and Weather Forecasting

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Weather predictions are essential in our routines, helping us plan activities based on the weather conditions. Radar technology is a tool in weather forecasting, enabling meteorologists to monitor and track weather patterns accurately.

This article will explore the connection between radar technology and weather forecasting, how radar functions, its importance in predicting weather occurrences, and its influence on our schedules. [Read more…] about The Intersection of Radar Technology and Weather Forecasting

The Importance of Tire Selection in Motorsports: A Guide for Racers

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When it comes to racing, cars are built for speed. However, the frames and engines aren’t the most important part of the vehicle. The tires are arguably the most crucial part of the vehicle.

If you are involved in motorsport, the motorsport tires you need will depend on the track that you’re racing on. If you are going to race on a track, the tire selection will depend on a number of factors which will be mentioned below.

Considering Tyre Regulations: Finding a suitable tire for your type of competition can be a confusing task. The first thing you need to do is to consult the regulations in place. For instance, regulations for racing in the UK are set by Motorsport UK. [Read more…] about The Importance of Tire Selection in Motorsports: A Guide for Racers

Auve Tech launches new generation self-driving vehicle

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Estonian company Auve Tech has launched a new generation self-driving vehicle.

MiCa is the latest self-driving shuttle from Auve Tech, which specializes in developing and producing autonomous vehicles.

The startup says MiCa takes safety, practicality and self-driving to “a new level” and allows autonomous driving in various weather and traffic conditions. [Read more…] about Auve Tech launches new generation self-driving vehicle

10 Winter Car Problems You Can’t Ignore

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In most parts of the country, winter means dealing with frigid temperatures, snow, ice and salt-covered roads. At first glance, this may not seem like it has much to do with your car or your driving.

However, the truth is that winter can present serious dangers when you’re behind the wheel and expose the vehicle itself to serious damage. Pay attention to these 10 common winter car problems and you’ll be prepared to handle whatever Mother Nature throws your way. [Read more…] about 10 Winter Car Problems You Can’t Ignore

Embark Trucks completes autonomous vehicle testing in snowy conditions

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Embark Trucks, a developer of autonomous technology for the trucking industry, says it has successfully completed on-road testing in snowy conditions in Montana, USA.

The testing, which Embark announced earlier this year, was conducted to demonstrate the performance and safety of Embark’s patent-pending Vision Map Fusion (VMF) technology in geographies that experience severe winter weather.

Results from the testing demonstrate that in approximately 90 percent of runs through the snowy conditions under study – which could result in delays for HD map-based autonomous driving systems – VMF should operate successfully, or pause and resume travel within acceptable shipper delivery windows. [Read more…] about Embark Trucks completes autonomous vehicle testing in snowy conditions

NuPort Robotics selects Nvidia Drive platform for autonomous trucks

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NuPort Robotics, a Canada-based autonomous trucking company, has selected the Nvidia Drive platform to power its middle-mile semi-truck transportation solutions, which will be capable of safely operating in all weather conditions.

NuPort is defining next-generation transportation solutions for the Canadian trucking industry. Using state-of-the-art technology and a unique approach, NuPort is poised to change the middle-mile logistics.

NuPort will leverage the centralized compute capabilities of the Nvidia Drive platform-which is scalable to Level 4 autonomy-for processing a wide array of deep neural networks (DNNs) necessary for autonomous trucks to operate safely under various weather conditions. [Read more…] about NuPort Robotics selects Nvidia Drive platform for autonomous trucks

Baidu Apollo awarded China’s first licenses to test autonomous vehicles at night and in special weather conditions

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Baidu Apollo has received China’s first batch of qualifications to test autonomous vehicles at night and in special weather conditions on public roads in Beijing.

A total of 53 such test qualification notices along with five general public road test licenses were granted to Baidu Apollo at the Beijing Intelligent Connected Vehicle Policy Pilot Zone launch event on April 13, 2021. The Pilot Zone encompasses 225 square kilometers, six highways, and urban expressways that cover a total length of 143 kilometers.

The ability to transport users during peak rush hours, nighttime, and bad weather scenarios – such as rainstorm conditions – poses an immense challenge in regards to the perception, prediction, planning and control capabilities of autonomous vehicles. [Read more…] about Baidu Apollo awarded China’s first licenses to test autonomous vehicles at night and in special weather conditions

AI and Robots Are Improving Agriculture in 2021

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The integration of machine learning, AI, and IoT devices is nothing new to the modern farm.

Different sensors provide agronomists with valuable, reliable, and relevant data to help them increase their farms’ efficiency by ensuring higher yields and cutting production costs.

This is especially of aid at big farms where it’s necessary to monitor and manage dozens of processes at the same time. [Read more…] about AI and Robots Are Improving Agriculture in 2021

How to Avoid and Prevent Common Car Accidents

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Road accidents are common and in some cases, they are unavoidable.

However, most car crashes are caused by human error which can be prevented if all drivers exercise caution on the roads.

There are different measures that you can take to avoid crashes when you are driving. Read on to learn how to avoid and prevent common car accidents. [Read more…] about How to Avoid and Prevent Common Car Accidents