Apple's New Sports App For iPhone Is A Must-Have, Even In The Off-Season
Apple just released a new sports app available for free on the App Store in the U.S., U.K., and Canada. Apple Sports is designed to keep sports fans up to date with the latest scores and ongoing league standings for their favorite sports, with Spanish, French, and English language support. There are currently a limited number of leagues trackable with the app.
Users can track the Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Liga MX, NHL, NBA, MLS, and NCAA basketball (men's and women's). Apple does not currently include many leagues that are in the off-season, but it does note that big leagues such as MLB, NFL, NCAAF, NWSL, and WNBA will debut on the app when their respective seasons roll around.
The app is available on iPhones running iOS 17.2 or later. Apple does not say if the app will make its way to iPads or Apple Watch. (In the meantime, check out the best Apple Watch apps for keeping up with sports teams.) However, it allows users to directly open Apple TV to stream and select a game from Apple or connected streaming apps.
More than just scores are on display
The included screenshots and brief details given by Apple show off the multiple ways this app can be used for tracking sports. Apple said the app was built for simplicity, giving users what they want to see in just a few taps. This is evident in the Welcome Screen that users are greeted with when opening the app. The screen shows a list of featured games, giving users a quick peek at the scores and game times of select notable games.
There is also a Scoreboard screen that acts as a hub for scores from recent and ongoing games. You can customize this screen to feature specific leagues, favorite teams, or tournaments. Favorites selected in Apple's My Sports app will automatically be synced to the Apple Sports app.
Tapping on a match will give users a detailed overview of it. In the case of a Giants-Dodgers MLB game, users can view stats for each inning, including hits, home runs, and strikeouts for each team. Users can also get information about leagues outside of specific games, including team scores, information on upcoming games, team stats, and lineup details. These details can be accessed by tapping a league on the Welcome Screen or through your custom account page, where you can search for leagues and teams.