You’ll be able to navigate with the Maps live activity widget and still see notifications and the date/time on your iPhone’s Lock Screen.
- iOS 17 could bring live activity support for Apple’s own Maps app for turn-by-turn navigation without taking over the whole Lock Screen.
- This will let you minimize the map or take it fullscreen like you can today with the Now Playing widget on the Lock Screen.
- It’s unclear whether Apple will allow developers of navigation apps like Google Maps to create their own live activity widgets.
The map on the Lock Screen will update with the current location and navigation directions, but it won’t be interactive. When unlocking the device, users will enjoy a “seamless transition” to the full Maps interface.
According to an anonymous tipster behind the Twitter account @analyst941, the new Maps widget won’t take over the Lock Screen.
Instead, it’ll retain the current date/time at the top while displaying turn-by-turn directions on the bottom half of the Lock Screen. Widgets in the upper half of the screen won’t be visible with the Maps live activity displayed on the Lock Screen.
Based on information received from sources, @analyst941 has mocked up screenshots at the top depicting how the Maps live activity widget might look like.
Like other live activities, the Flashlight and Camera shortcuts should appear below the widget, along with your notifications. You’ll be able to swipe up to show all notifications or minimize them with a swipe-down gesture like you can today.
The widget will function similarly to the Now Playing live activity widget. You’ll be able to shrink the map down to the size of the Now Playing widget on the Lock Screen or maximize it with a tap.