New Apple Sports app offers live scores, stats and streaming information

SportsPro says…

Apple Sports is everything you expect from a first-party iOS app in terms of design and usability. It’s rapid, intuitive, and aesthetically pleasing. But it’s also threadbare in terms of functionality and does little to stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Live score applications were some of the first apps available when the App Store first launched in 2008 – and most broadcasters and rights holders offer live scores as part of their wider offerings.

But this is Apple. While superior and competing apps exist on the App Store for everything from email and messaging to music and podcasts, many iOS users continue to use the company’s first-party applications by default.

With an active user base in the hundreds of millions, Apple Sports becomes an important channel for the industry by default. And should the company decide to bid for more live broadcast rights, it can promise prospective partners greater exposure. Indeed, MLS receives top billing at launch.

It’s hard to interpret the launch of Apple Sports as anything but a placeholder and it is probable more functionality will be added over the coming months and years. Apple wants its devices and services to become the hub for our digital lives, whether it’s news, audio, video, fitness or gaming.

Sport is the next frontier in that ambition. By making the native experience as optimal as possible, the company hopes to retain and attract as many consumers in its digital ecosystem, driving hardware and software sales for years to come.

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