Live Activities to Get More Frequent Updates Option in iOS 16.2

Apple released iOS 16.1 earlier this week and introduced Live Activities – lingering interactive notifications that stay up to date, allowing you to keep an eye on things happening right from the Lock Screen. Since then, Apple has released the first iOS 16.2 beta to developers, and evidence has been found that Apple is working on a way for Live Activities to update more frequently.

ios 16 live activities feature
According to inactive code in iOS 16.2 beta 1 discovered by 9to5Mac, Apple will provide users with an option for "More Frequent Updates" for Live Activities, although the setting will also drain an iPhone battery faster, warns the following unearthed message:

More Frequent Updates

Allowing more frequent updates lets you see more real time information, but can drain your battery faster.

Despite the increased battery usage, the upcoming option in the Settings app is likely to be a welcome addition for users relying on third-party apps that use Live Activities to relay information about travel times, such as Flight tracking app Flighty.

Since the release of iOS 16.1, several third-party apps have been updated to support Live Activities on iPhone Lock Screens. The ‌Dynamic Island‌ component requires an ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ or ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ Max.

In addition to the additional Live Activities option, the first iOS 16.2 beta includes other extras including the new Freeform App, Stage Manager External Display Support, Accidental Emergency SOS Reports and More

Top Rated Comments

7149041 Avatar
15 months ago

So „Live“ activities aren’t actually Live right now?
Trust me, I'm an engineer: there's a big difference (performance, data transfer and battery wise) between updating the state of the UI every 10 seconds and doing it every 1 second, but both would be considered live updates.

In general, almost always when something happens "live" in code it's actually some sort of "are we there yet?" running on a timer, either pushed to the device by the server or pulled by the device from the server. This applies to notifications, live chats and any other UI that constantly refreshes its own state.

As a programmer you need to balance the need for "liveness" of the updates with the drawback/cost to you and the end user (data transfer, battery life, server resources).
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ProfessionalFan Avatar
15 months ago
It will make it much more useful yes. Need to see how much of a battery drain we're talking about here though.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
_Spinn_ Avatar
15 months ago
What is the refresh rate now and what will it be with this on?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
The Game 161 Avatar
15 months ago

What does this app do that CBS Sports app or The Score app can't do? Show a score on the lock screen? And do they just show one game or an entire scoreboard for multiple leagues? I mean for me, it's two taps to open CBS Sports or The Score to get to all the scores for all the leagues I have set up as favorites. I'm just trying to understand. Thanks.
will be on the lockscreen and the island. It will show the score and the time left. Sure it's a couple of clicks away but you don't need to do anything it will be on the bottom of your lock screen. You don't need to go into the app to go in touch with games. Even better on 14 pros AOD as well

sports alerts is my go to sports app as will have all my favourite sports with one swipe.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kylo83 Avatar
15 months ago
But isn’t the whole idea of live activities means it’s live and always updating live, so does this mean now they don’t update live in real time?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
contacos Avatar
15 months ago
So „Live“ activities aren’t actually Live right now?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17

iOS 17.2 Will Add These 12 New Features to Your iPhone

Friday December 1, 2023 12:19 pm PST by
iOS 17.2 has been in beta testing for over a month, and it should be released to all users in a few more weeks. The software update includes many new features and changes for iPhones, including the dozen that we have highlighted below. iOS 17.2 is expected to be released to the public in mid-December. To learn about even more features coming in the update, check out our full list. Journal ...
iOS 16 4 Web Push

Apple Confirms Governments Using Push Notifications to Surveil Users

Wednesday December 6, 2023 5:06 am PST by
Unidentified governments are surveilling smartphone users by tracking push notifications that move through Google's and Apple's servers, a US senator warned on Wednesday (via Reuters). In a letter to the Department of Justice, Senator Ron Wyden said foreign officials were demanding the data from the tech giants to track smartphones. The traffic flowing from apps that send push notifications...
airpods pro 2 pink

Apple Releases New AirPods Pro 2 Firmware

Tuesday December 5, 2023 11:28 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware update for both the Lightning and USB-C versions of the AirPods Pro 2. The new firmware is version 6B34, up from the 6B32 firmware introduced in November. Apple does not provide details on what features might be included in the refreshed firmware beyond "bug fixes and other improvements," so it is unclear what's new in the update, but prior software releases ...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue

'All-Screen' iPhone Under-Display Camera Enters Development

Wednesday December 6, 2023 2:03 am PST by
Apple's Korean suppliers have begun developing smartphone under-display cameras (UDC), paving the way for the first iPhone with a true "all-screen" appearance. According to The Elec, LG Innotek has entered the preliminary development of the UDC, which sits under the display and does not result in a visible hole in the panel when the camera is not in use. A UDC differs from a typical front ...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 May Reuse Existing iPhone 14 Battery

Wednesday December 6, 2023 1:17 pm PST by
Recently, MacRumors has received details on the battery currently being tested on the upcoming fourth-generation iPhone SE, and the information corroborates previous findings in relation to the device. The iPhone SE 4, known by its device identifier D59, is expected to use the exact same battery found in the base model iPhone 14. Partially assembled prototypes of the next iPhone SE have been ...
magsafe blue 2

iOS 17.2 Brings Qi2 Support to iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 Models

Tuesday December 5, 2023 11:04 am PST by
The iOS 17.2 update that Apple is set to release to the public in the near future will bring support for the next-generation Qi2 wireless charging standard to the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 models. Qi2 was mentioned in the release notes for the RC version of the update that came out today. With the addition of support for the new standard, iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 models will work with Qi2...
airpods pro bulbs

Black Friday Prices Return for AirPods Pro 2 With USB-C, iPad, and More

Tuesday December 5, 2023 7:30 am PST by
Today we're tracking a collection of deals that are matching - or nearly matching - the same all-time low discounts we saw during Black Friday. This includes the AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C, 9th generation iPad, and M1 MacBook Air. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the ...
12

Apple to Launch Two iPad Air and Two OLED iPad Pro Models Early Next Year

Wednesday December 6, 2023 9:53 am PST by
To boost falling iPad sales, Apple has a major refresh planned for the iPad lineup in early 2024, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple plans to debut new iPad Air and iPad Pro models, both of which will feature notable changes. The iPad Air will come in two sizes like the iPad Pro for the first time. The smaller model will continue to measure in at 10.9 inches, but the larger version...