by Apple is making it easier for iPhone users to stay informed about today’s US elections. The tech giant has launched a new widget in Apple News that provides real-time election updates. The widget, announced Tuesday, is designed to give users a streamlined way to track election results, candidate news and important developments right from their home screen.
The widget, available to users of iOS 17 and later, automatically updates to reflect the latest news and important changes as they happen. It promises to be an essential tool for those closely following the electoral process, whether national race predictions, state-level voting trends, or live updates on key battleground states. Users can adjust the size and position of the widget, providing a flexible way to stay engaged without interrupting their usual phone activities. The feature will be rolled out to US users over Election Day.
Apple initially launched Live Activities to creatively leverage Dynamic Island and provide users with live, real-time updates for a variety of events. It quickly became popular for tracking music playback, sports scores and ongoing conversations. Now, just in time for the 2024 US elections, Live Activities is expanding its role by providing live election updates, keeping users informed as the results unfold.
US Elections: How to Enable Live Tracker on iPhone?
To enable the live updates for the US election results via Live Activity, first open the Apple News app. Look for the prominent “Follow the 2024 Elections Live” banner at the top of the page or below the “Top Stories” section. If the banner is not visible, navigate to the “Election 2024” section in the menu. Once you tap the banner, a notification will confirm that the Live Activity has been activated. If you want to disable this, simply tap the banner again and the scheduled updates will be turned off.
Live Activities will be available on both iPhone and iPad lock screens, with devices featuring the Dynamic Island offering a unique, enhanced interface. Apple Watch users can also access the real-time data through the widget view. Earlier this year, Apple News used Live Activities to provide real-time updates during caucus results, and the feature proved to be a useful tool for keeping track of events.
Given the higher stakes of the US elections, this feature will provide users with a convenient way to view current results without getting caught up in potentially divisive reporting.
It’s still unclear how long Apple News will keep the Live Activity active, as it could take days before the first results are released. The 2024 elections could serve as an important test of how users interact with this feature and how well it performs after extended use.
