Google Plans Live Updates Rollout on Android Phones, Wear OS Watches by 2026

Google is launching its Live Updates feature, inspired by Apple's Live Activities, on Android 16 phones and foldables in 2025, followed by Wear OS smartwatches, including Samsung Galaxy Watches, in late 2026. Live Updates provide real-time, glanceable notifications such as ride-sharing status, delivery tracking, and sports scores, allowing users to access timely information without opening apps. The feature will be integrated with third-party apps and offers developers tools to create dynamic notifications tailored for both phones and watches, with user controls to prevent misuse. Samsung’s current One UI 8 Watch update includes the Now Bar feature, which supports limited real-time notifications only from select apps, but full Live Updates support is expected in a future update after 2026. Google emphasizes guidelines to prevent notification overload and ensure that Live Updates enhance the user experience by focusing on ongoing, time-sensitive activities. This rollout highlights Google's commitment to standardizing real-time notifications across its ecosystem, directly competing with Apple's established Live Activities.