Similar to Live Activities on iOS, an upcoming feature in Android 16 may allow users to swiftly check the status of their flights, food orders, or rides, as well as display ongoing or future events.
Though Google just released Android 15 a few months ago, the company is already preparing for its next significant update. Recently, the tech giant began distributing Android 16 Beta 1 for compatible Pixel devices, introducing a range of new functionalities and user interface enhancements.
Among the most noteworthy new features is Live Updates, which lets users pin specific notifications for quick access. Like Apple’s Live Activities, which enables you to easily monitor flight statuses, rides, deliveries, and events, Android 16’s Live Updates will allow developers to implement this notification style for sharing real-time updates of active notifications.
According to a recent article by Android Authority, Live Updates will also be visible on the lock screen. Google is reportedly creating a compact notification shelf for the lock screen that condenses notifications into a shelf format. However, it seems Android 16 will not impose this new compact layout on users, meaning they may need to enable it manually.
The report also indicates that notifications featured in Live Updates will show up in the status bar. Although Google hasn’t officially confirmed this, it appears these notifications could also be displayed on the always-on screen.
For users curious about existing options, several smartphone brands like OnePlus, Realme, and Oppo have already implemented similar Live Updates features on their Android devices, allowing users to track delivery statuses, such as Zomato orders, and easily access Spotify playback controls, among other functions.
