Photo: Uber
You'd normally expect a company the size of Google to add support for new features in a timely manner, but this is so not the case with Live Activities on iPhone.
Apple launched the feature in iOS 16 and unlocked it for third-party apps with the update to version 16.1, allowing developers to display live information on the iPhone lock screen and the Dynamic Island.
Google promised to add support for Live Activities in Google Maps for iOS in February 2023, but here we are nearly one year later with the feature still in the works. The company hasn't shared an update in the meantime, but according to a recent discovery in the latest Google Maps version for iPhone, Google did not abandon the work on Live Activities either. It's still coming, but nobody knows precisely when.
Google originally said Live Activities would launch "in the coming months," but as we learned from the Coolwalk rollout on Android Auto, the company has no issue pushing back release dates without saying a single word about it. However, such a decision makes sense if something doesn't work right, and it could be the case with Live Activities on iPhone, too.
Live Activities on iPhone would allow Google Maps users to see turn-by-turn directions directly on the lock screen without unlocking the smartphone. The feature makes sense when you use your iPhone for navigation, as you don't need to keep the screen always enabled to follow the recommended route.
Additionally, devices with a Dynamic Island, including the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 15, would display route information at the top of the screen.
Most apps have already added such features, so seeing Google Maps lacking the same capabilities is unexpected, especially considering the large user base it commands on iOS.
Google has never been in a rush to adopt new iOS features, and the CarPlay Dashboard support is living proof. When Apple announced Dashboard, a feature that allows users to run multiple apps side by side on CarPlay, developers had to update their apps to support the multi-view layout. Google Maps and Waze received support for the Dashboard after several months, despite other apps, including Magic Earth (a Google Maps alternative specifically focused on privacy), getting the same capabilities much faster.
Meanwhile, Google Maps is getting other new features, including support for route planning on the smartphone and sharing it with a car powered by Android Automotive. The feature is already available in select cars with an Android phone or an iPhone, but Google says its plan is to eventually expand it to all Android Automotive-powered vehicles later this year. Google Maps is also getting 3D building support on Android Auto, as well as support for saving the parking location.
Google promised to add support for Live Activities in Google Maps for iOS in February 2023, but here we are nearly one year later with the feature still in the works. The company hasn't shared an update in the meantime, but according to a recent discovery in the latest Google Maps version for iPhone, Google did not abandon the work on Live Activities either. It's still coming, but nobody knows precisely when.
Google originally said Live Activities would launch "in the coming months," but as we learned from the Coolwalk rollout on Android Auto, the company has no issue pushing back release dates without saying a single word about it. However, such a decision makes sense if something doesn't work right, and it could be the case with Live Activities on iPhone, too.
Live Activities on iPhone would allow Google Maps users to see turn-by-turn directions directly on the lock screen without unlocking the smartphone. The feature makes sense when you use your iPhone for navigation, as you don't need to keep the screen always enabled to follow the recommended route.
Additionally, devices with a Dynamic Island, including the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 15, would display route information at the top of the screen.
Most apps have already added such features, so seeing Google Maps lacking the same capabilities is unexpected, especially considering the large user base it commands on iOS.
Google has never been in a rush to adopt new iOS features, and the CarPlay Dashboard support is living proof. When Apple announced Dashboard, a feature that allows users to run multiple apps side by side on CarPlay, developers had to update their apps to support the multi-view layout. Google Maps and Waze received support for the Dashboard after several months, despite other apps, including Magic Earth (a Google Maps alternative specifically focused on privacy), getting the same capabilities much faster.
Meanwhile, Google Maps is getting other new features, including support for route planning on the smartphone and sharing it with a car powered by Android Automotive. The feature is already available in select cars with an Android phone or an iPhone, but Google says its plan is to eventually expand it to all Android Automotive-powered vehicles later this year. Google Maps is also getting 3D building support on Android Auto, as well as support for saving the parking location.
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