New notification style coming to Android 16: Live Updates

If you’re waiting for your Uber ride, you might find yourself checking the app often or looking at your notifications to see how close the driver is. But iPhone users have it easier; they can use Live Activities to keep track without opening the app. Android doesn’t have this yet, but that’s about to change with Android 16‘s Live Updates.

Live Activities on iOS show live updates right on your screen, like tracking a flight or a food delivery. They appear at the top of the screen or on the lock screen. Android has notifications too, but they pop up and then go away, which isn’t as handy for ongoing events. Live Updates in Android 16 will solve this by keeping you updated without the hassle.

Google hasn’t given all the details about Live Updates yet, as it’s still being developed in Android 16 Beta 1. This update brings a new kind of notification that shows progress, like how close your Uber is or how far until your next turn in navigation apps. It’s like what Uber does, but now it’s easier for any app to do the same.

These new notifications will stand out more on your lock screen, especially since Android 16 is introducing a new way to show notifications where they’re tucked away until you tap them to see more. Live Updates won’t hide like that; they’ll be right there for you to see.

From what I’ve found in the Beta 1 code, Live Updates might always show up on your lock screen. The system calls them ‘live notifications’ for now, but it seems to be the same thing. These notifications might also appear as little icons in your status bar, making them even more noticeable, even when your screen is off.

This idea matches with some earlier news about a new way for apps to send ongoing notifications. I saw some test notifications that looked like small icons in the status bar, which is cool but still in the works. We might have to wait for more updates to see how Live Updates will work fully, but it’s clear Android is trying to make notifications both more useful and less annoying.