Uber Lets Users Track Their Rides From Their iPhone Lock Screen

Tracking Uber rides with iPhones became a lot easier.

Uber recently launched a new feature for its iOS app that lets users figure out the best time to head out the door is, even if their phone is unlocked, using Apple's Live Activities feature.

Apple's Live Activities feature puts real-time events from apps that support it on the lock screen and on the iPhone Dynamic Island when the device is unlocked, per Engadget.

Uber New Live Activities Feature Details

Uber mentioned in its blog post that its app now supports Live Activities and Dynamic Island through a new update, allowing users with iPhones running iOS 16 or later to easily track the live progress of a ride. Users can also receive critical information about their ride, such as its ETA, trip status, and vehicle details at their Lock Screen, removing the need to open their phone and access the Uber app.

Uber added that iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max users could find the progress of their Uber ride in their phone's Dynamic Island if their phone is unlocked, allowing them to get important details with just a glance, even if they're using other apps - a convenient feature, to say the least.

Convenient as it may, it isn't surprising that Uber launched a feature like this. Apple previously announced during 2022's Worldwide Developers Conference that Uber would add support to its Live Activities through the creation of the feature, per MacRumors.

Uber also has been testing the new feature in select regions over the past months to fine-tune and enhance the feature to better cater to users' needs.

The update is not just available in the US or the main Uber app, either. Uber users around the world would be getting the feature as well since it is a wide release. On the other hand, an Uber spokesperson also mentioned that the Uber Eats app will also support Live Activities in the coming months, allowing its users to view the progress of their orders in real-time on their Lock Screen and Dynamic Islands.

In addition to the Live Activities support, Uber simplified its main app's home screen so users can book rides and uBer Eats deliveries more easily and with fewer taps.

The app now has a "Services" tab that serves as a one-stop shop to find all of the rides and delivery offerings available in users' locales.

Apple Live Activities Details

Apple's Live Activities is a feature that lets Apps on Apple devices display their latest data on the iPhone Lock Screen and in Dynamic Island, allowing people to see live information at a glance, per Apple's Developer page.

The feature comes in different presentations for the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, with the former's presentation appearing on all devices, while the latter's appears as a banner for live Activity updates that include an alert configuration.