This is the first application to adopt one of the big novelties of Android 16

Before carrying out, we will celebrate the launch of Android 16. The new version of the system has been advanced to coincide with the new generations of pixel mobiles, so that last year's situation is not repeated, when Pixel 9 was launched several weeks before Android.

In an ironic way, Android 16 can be one of the most different versions that we have seen for some years, with important differences in design and interface. One of the greatest changes will see him in notifications, which now receive A new guy called “live updates“Similar to live activities available in iOS. As the name suggests, the big difference in these notifications with regard to the usual is that its content can change “live”, instead of having to show a new message every time.

Although it seems a small change, this opens the door to new possibilities, as shown in the first application compatible with live updates: Google Cards. In Android authority They were able to activate these new notifications in the latest beta version of Android 16 and the latest version of Maps; And everything indicates that they can completely change the way we use the application.

Google Maps takes advantage of live updates for View indications directly in notifications When we are in navigation mode; If we slide downwards, in addition to traditional notifications, we will see a new section dedicated to live updates, and in the case of cards, it will be shown in green with icons and instructions for the next navigation indication.

In addition to the address that we must take, in this special notification, the data will also be displayed, as the duration that remains on the way and the kilometers traveled; This information will be updated in real timeUnlike conventional notifications that can only display static content.

Not only that, but the live updates can be displayed directly on the Android Start screen, with a pill in the upper bar. In the case of cards, this notification shows the address that we must take and The time remaining until the following indication.

Indeed, this means that We can do other things with the mobile, with the safety of always the visible indication; If we are approaching a change of direction, we just have to click on the pill or slide down to see the complete content of the indication. The pill cannot directly display the indications because Android 16 requires limits to the text they can show, due to the limitations of space, but this may be sufficient.

This is only one of the possibilities that demonstrate the potential of this Android 16 novelty. Other applications can take advantage of updates live in another way; For example, an application to ask for food like Uber eats or simply eat can show the condition of our order and at what step in the process is, in real time.