News
- First-look images of Android's upcoming Live Updates function revealed
- Similar feel to iOS Live Activities
- Live Updates is currently only functional in the latest Android 16 QPR1 beta, but should widely rolled out next quarter
Google unveiled its upcoming Live Updates feature at this year’s Google I/O event back in May, and though the Android 16 roll out has begun, it won’t be widely available for another few months.
In the meantime, Google has released new insights to its version of iOS’ Live Activities, including what kind of apps the feature will support.
Android 16’s Live Updates is similar to Live Activities in iOS, which displays timely information and ‘progress-style’ notifications on your lock screen that are updated frequently, meaning you won’t have to open apps to view their status. At the moment, Live Updates is only functional in the latest Android 16 QPR1 beta, but it’s expected to land with the wider Android 16 roll out later in the year.
Since it was first previewed at Google I/O, the functionality and appearance of the feature itself has remained ambiguous, but a recent post on the Android Developers page gives further details on what we can expect from Live Updates – including a first look at the feature in action.
(Image credit: 9to5Google)In Android’s post, Live Updates will be used ‘for activities that are ongoing, user-initiated and time sensitive’. Similarly to Live Activities in iOS, Android 16’s Live Updates will support phone calls, food and rideshare tracking, and ‘active navigation’ for apps that show live trip progress such as Google Maps.
Google even goes into detail about how developers should show Live Updates when it comes to time sensitive notifications, using the following explanation:
‘A Live Update is often appropriate for activities that transition between Live Updates and normal notifications. For example, showing a boarding pass notification is appropriate many hours before a user's flight, but the notification should become a Live Update only when the user has a pressing need, such as when they have arrived at the airport or venue or once boarding has begun. In contrast, a Live Update isn't appropriate for tracking a package as the user doesn't need to constantly monitor this’.
Android has its boundariesWhile Google has given us the long-awaited visual insight to Live Updates, the company has also been clear with app developers that the feature should not be abused.
In its post, Google has been quite explicit with this, stating ‘Don't use Live Updates to offer accelerated access to app functionality’. Ads, promotions, chat messages, alerts, upcoming calendar events, and quick access to app features have been deemed as ‘inappropriate uses’.
Now the only key detail that’s missing is an official roll out date for Live Updates. As mentioned above, Live Updates is only available with the latest Android 16 QPR1 beta but Android Authority’s findings hint that apps will start leaning into this function next quarter when the update is expected to go live.
You might also like- ExpressVPN has been hit by a class action lawsuit over alleged "illegal" auto-renewal fees
- A Californian customer accused ExpressVPN of automatically charging him a monthly fee without his consent
- Most popular VPN providers employ a similar auto-renewal system – a practice lawyers allege to go against California's consumer law
A customer in the US has sued VPN provider ExpressVPN over allegedly "illegal" auto-renewal fees.
Plaintiff Timothy Millar filed a class action lawsuit against ExpressVPN in California's Court on June 13, 2025, accusing the company of automatically charging him a monthly fee without his consent. Millar seeks to represent himself and all other California consumers who have been charged illegal auto-renewal fees at least once.
Despite a few exceptions, almost all the best VPNs on the market have a similar auto-renewal system in place to handle user subscriptions. Another provider, NordVPN, is facing a similar legal case in the US, as a law firm has already brought lawsuits on behalf of four plaintiffs so far.
What the lawsuit against ExpressVPN is aboutAs claimed by the lawsuit, Millar bought one month of the virtual private network (VPN) software in September 2022, thinking he was making a one-time purchase.
Yet, after his monthly plan expired, "Unbeknownst to him and without his consent, ExpressVPN enrolled him in an automatically renewing monthly plan," reads the suit, alleging that "that charge was illegal and should be refunded."
According to Miller's lawyers, such behavior is in clear contrast with the provider's obligations under California's Automatic Renewal Law (ARL). The law, in fact, requires companies adopting auto-renewal payment systems to provide "clear and conspicuous" disclosures about the auto-renewal plan and obtain "affirmative consent" to enroll consumers. Something that – the lawsuit claims – ExpressVPN failed to do "in nearly every way."
Furthermore, ExpressVPN is accused of violating the False Advertising Law by disseminating misleading advertisements about the automatically renewing nature of its plans.
Miller is now demanding a jury trial and monetary damages for himself and the proposed class.
TechRadar approached ExpressVPN for comments, and a company spokesperson shared this written statement: "We are aware of the filing in relation to a subscription from several years ago and intend to defend it. Unfortunately, we cannot comment on the specific allegations made in this complaint.
"ExpressVPN has always prioritized transparency and giving users clear information about pricing, billing, and auto-renewal – this information is clear and highly visible at each step of the checkout process.
"As a cybersecurity company, providing uninterrupted protection is important to our customers. This subscription model ensures that customers get the protection they need, without fail, on their devices. Customers can switch auto-renew off anytime via their account dashboards or by contacting support.
"We remain focused on delivering value to our users; ensuring they retain control over their digital privacy."
Time to ditch auto-renewal VPN plans?(Image credit: Getty Images)As mentioned earlier, NordVPN is also facing a lawsuit over alleged "illegal and deceptive" auto-renewal practices.
The Wittels McInturff Palikovic law firm has already presented legal complaints on behalf of four former NordVPN customers since April 2024 – and urges all NordVPN users who were charged for a subscription they did not want to come forward.
The same law firm has previously opened investigations into auto-enrollment practices against ExpressVPN, too, alongside Proton VPN and Private Internet Access (PIA). Yet, lawyers filed no lawsuit against these providers.
While it is still early to know if these ongoing class actions will change how VPN providers handle user subscriptions once and for all, there are a few exceptions on the market already that you can opt for instead of getting locked into an auto-renewal plan. Mullvad VPN, which axed all recurring subscriptions in 2022 in the name of users' privacy, is one of them.
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