Apple's New Sports App for iPhone...
Apple has introduced a new sports app for the iPhone, offering a comprehensive range of features including scores, statistics, standings, upcoming matches, betting odds, and more across various leagues such as MLB, MLS, NBA, NHL, Premier League, and NFL when its next season begins. For ongoing games, the app also provides real-time play-by-play updates.
Featuring a minimalist interface centered around customizable scoreboards, users can personalize their experience by following their favorite teams and leagues. Eddy Cue, Apple's services chief and a known sports enthusiast, emphasized the deliberate simplicity of the app's design.
Cue stated, "We developed Apple Sports with the aim of providing sports fans with swift access to scores and statistics." He further explained in an interview with Fast Company that the app is designed for quick engagement, catering to users' needs within seconds to minutes, depending on their preferences during game times.
According to Fast Company, the app is said to support Live Activities, enabling users to conveniently view scores on the Lock Screen or within the Dynamic Island on specific iPhone models. However, this feature has not been confirmed in early testing, and there is currently no toggle for Live Activities in the app's settings.
The future trajectory of the app remains uncertain, although Apple's recent ventures into live sports streaming, such as MLS Season Pass and MLB's Friday Night Baseball, suggest potential expansion. Nonetheless, Apple intends to maintain simplicity for now.
Apple Sports is now available for free download on the App Store in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada.