As Americans begin voting to decide their next president, Apple News will deliver live election updates directly to the lock screens of iPhones and iPads.
Starting Tuesday (U.S. time), users can enable a Live Activity through Apple News to follow real-time election results, according to Apple Insider.
“The Lock Screen will have a large, interactive widget that will launch to the latest election coverage, and the Dynamic Island will show the electoral count for each candidate continuously,” the report mentioned.
Those with newer iPhones can check the electoral count directly in the Dynamic Island while using other features on their device.
The widget will be accessible on iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches as votes for the presidential and congressional races are counted. It will track the electoral count for Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris, as well as the outcomes of Senate and House races.
To receive updates on their lock screen, iPhone users must register by opening Apple News and tapping the “Follow the 2024 election live” banner.
Apple’s report states that Live Activities will display on the lock screens of both iPhones and iPads, while only devices equipped with Dynamic Island will have the enhanced user interface (UI). Apple Watch users can also see Live Activity data through the widget view.
Originally, Apple introduced Live Activities to leverage the Dynamic Island’s capability, allowing users to access real-time, updated information seamlessly.
Meanwhile, over 82 million Americans have already cast ballots in early voting, either in person or by mail. This turnout represents more than 51% of the total 158 million votes counted in the 2020 election.
If Kamala Harris is elected, she will make history as the first woman, first African American woman, first Asian American, and first Indian American to serve as U.S. president. A Trump victory, on the other hand, would make him only the second president in U.S. history, after Grover Cleveland, to lose re-election after the first term and return to win on a third attempt.
The winning candidate must secure at least 270 of the 538 electoral college votes.