Apple has revealed that iOS 18 and watchOS 11 will have live sports scores on the iPhone and Apple Watch lock screens, ahead of the company’s main product announcement on September 9.
The announcement will come as a pleasant boost for NFL fans who use iPhones or Apple Watches, as the football season kicks off on September 5 with the Kansas City Chiefs against the Baltimore Ravens.
For soccer fans, Apple has confirmed that the Champions League and Europa League will be available on the Apple Sports app starting in September. These tournaments will join the NFL and 14 other football, baseball, basketball, ice hockey, and soccer leagues that support lock screens.
Apple described in a press release the addition of many new capabilities to the Apple Sports app in iOS 18 and watchOS 11, the most notable of which is the capability to view live scores without having to unlock your device. The upgrade will be available for free.
You will be able to follow many games at once and receive brief play-by-play updates on the score cards, which are sent through Apple’s Live Activities feature.
According to ZDNet, the upgrade will also include the same features for the top 25 American college football teams, with the list being updated weekly.
Apple claims that adding drop-down navigation to the primary scorecard displays will expedite the transition between the feeds for favorited leagues, My Teams, and My Leagues. Better search capabilities for games in leagues other than the ones you currently follow are also in the works.
As of right now, Apple Sports is only available in the US, UK, and Canada; there are no plans for Apple to expand into other nations.
Scores, news, and betting information for these leagues are available on the Apple Sports app for the duration of their seasons. You may disable live betting odds in the settings at any moment.
Those who possess Apple TVs and were hoping to see live scores on a large screen may be let down by the news release’s tiny print, which states that Live Activities will not be available on Apple TV when iOS 18 is released.
On September 9, Apple is scheduled to host its “It’s Glowtime” event, where the firm is likely to unveil the iPhone 16 range and Apple Watch Series 10. Visit our special Apple Event page and our more comprehensive iPhone coverage for information on how to view the iPhone 16 launch event and what we hope to see.