Live Activities are currently trending. Yesterday, Apple introduced an exciting Live Activity feature to track election results through Apple News. In addition, a new Live Activity has been unveiled in the latest iOS 18.2 beta for monitoring file download progress in Safari.
Latest Live Activity indicates Apple’s ongoing feature expansion
I discussed yesterday how Live Activities rank among my top favorite features for the iPhone and Apple Watch. They launched two years ago, and only recently have they started to enhance my daily iOS routine significantly.
Apple continues to enhance them as well. The most recent addition is a new Live Activity set to arrive in Safari with iOS 18.2 (via MacRumors).
As first noted by Rishi Agrawal on X, initiating a file download in Safari will automatically trigger a Live Activity in iOS 18.2.
This feature enables users to monitor download progress directly from the Dynamic Island and the iPhone Lock Screen.
Depending on the download speed and file size, this can be particularly useful.
While this feature may not revolutionize the experience, it certainly adds a layer of convenience that significantly enhances your iPhone usage.
Additional Dynamic Island enhancement in iOS 18.2
In a related update, the latest iOS 18.2 beta includes adjustments to Vehicle Motion Cues, enabling them to utilize the Dynamic Island when triggered on and off, rather than relying on a larger popover.
Over two years since the inception of Live Activities and the Dynamic Island, Apple consistently discovers new ways to refine them.
Are you excited about Safari’s new Live Activity for downloads? What additional Live Activities would you like to see Apple implement? Share your thoughts in the comments
