In the lead-up to Tuesday’s 2024 election, Apple is making it as easy as possible for Americans to follow the results as they trickle in on iPhones and Apple Watches, all in real-time.
Live Activities in the Apple News app will provide users with up-to-the-minute election updates to see today’s vote counts and tomorrow’s electoral outcomes on their Lock Screens. Previously tracking music, sports scores, and phone calls, the feature offered users insight into their lives without having to drill down. Still, it now promises to bring live, to the fingertips, election coverage, providing the ability to quickly consume crucial information.
Election results on the Apple News, Lock Screen, and Dynamic Island
Apple News users can now activate Live Activities that display ongoing election results on their Lock Screens, with a prominent widget to track each candidate’s electoral count, beginning late Tuesday. The Dynamic Island will display interactively, continuously, on devices; Apple Watches will show widget-viewable election information. Users can also quickly dismiss the Dynamic Island feed, keeping the Live Activity active and useful when desired.
IPhone and iPad users can open the Apple News app and tap the “Follow the 2024 election live” banner at the top of the main page or in the Election 2024 Special Coverage section to enable the Live Activity. Notifications pop up as they come in, allowing users to stay updated without opening other apps or monitoring other sites.
Earlier this year, Apple used Live Activities for political coverage to test the results of the well-received caucus. As the stakes of the 2024 election are significantly higher, this Live Activity provides an innovative, non-heated way to stay informed without diving into news platforms or social media feeds. It’s expected that the feature won’t stop being active as votes add up and will continue to give users updates on a rolling basis until preliminary results are announced. As a new “stress test” type for Live Activities, this could shape Apple’s approach to future events that demand live, real-time information.
Technology that helps the user experience during pivotal U.S. history moments—like Apple’s Live Activities feature for election tracking—shows there is no better time than now to capitalize on streamlined technology. Users will now have enhanced coverage to stay connected to the pulse of the election from the Lock screen of their iPhones.
Image credit: Apple
