Jim Rossman: Apple releases new iOS app for sports scores

Apple introduced a sports app for iPhone recently and since we are at a time during the year when we have a lot of major sports overlapping, I thought it was time to take a look.

Apple Sports is free to download from the iOS app store.

Apple says the sports app is built for speed and simplicity. The app delivers real-time scores, stats and more, including betting odds and broadcast TV information.

“We created Apple Sports to give sports fans what they want — an app that delivers incredibly fast access to scores and stats,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services. “Apple Sports is available for free in the App Store and makes it easy for users to stay up to date with their favorite teams and leagues.”

If games are currently underway, you can find links to take you to online streams, if you are a subscriber to the appropriate service for a particular sport.

I was able to quickly navigate to NCAA basketball tournament games through my DirecTV Stream subscription.

After you download the Sports app, you’ll have the opportunity to choose your favorite leagues and teams. If those leagues or teams are playing today, the game matchups and times will appear on the main page under a “Today” tab. Appropriately, there are also tabs for “Yesterday and “Upcoming.”

Before a game starts, you’ll find information on the teams’ records, the current betting odds and their standings in the league or conference.

During games, you can also call up a running play-by-play, which is surprisingly detailed.

The Apple Sports app isn’t just for the United States. The app is available in the app store in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada with support for French and Spanish, as well as English languages.

Leagues currently in the app include MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS, NCAA men’s and women’s basketball and soccer leagues like Bundesliga, Liga MX, Ligue 1 and Premier League.

Other sports will be added for their upcoming seasons, including NFL and WNBA, as well as NCAA football.

One feature I wish was included is game scores on the phone’s lock screen or dynamic island.

I use an app called Sports Alerts that puts my favorite teams’ live scores on the lock screen while the games are going on. It can also push the live scores to my Apple Watch.

Maybe Apple will include that functionality in their Sports app someday.

Jim Rossman is a tech columnist for Tribune News Service. He may be reached at jrossmantechadviser@gmail.com.