New Delhi: Some of us may be fanatic followers of football but not all of us have the luxury to attend the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which began in Russia on 14 June.
This implies that many of us will have to catch up with the action over the next month or so on TV screens at home, or in restaurants.
However, those of us who are constantly on the move should not feel left out—bank on your smartphones to have an immersive experience with the news, stats and streaming live content. The best part: You don’t have to wait for the games to begin. You already have some options like Cristiano Ronaldo: Kick’n’Run (free for iOS and Android) and Zlatan Legends (free for iOS and Android)
With artificial intelligence (AI)-powered virtual assistants becoming an integral part of our smartphones, you can use them for all World Cup-related stats, schedules and results.
Gone are the days when you had to twiddle your thumbs to open or navigate an app. On the Apple iPhone, for instance, you can simply call out to Siri, the virtual assistant. “Hey Siri, when does England play Belgium” or “Hey Siri, who won the Spain-Portugal match”. Simply speak to your phone to get all the information. It works across all iOS devices, irrespective of how old or recent your iPhone or iPad might be.
If you are working in office or sitting at home, all you have to do is ask a question to your MacBook or iMac for instant information.
It will be even more fun, if you have the HomePod smart speaker.
Google also offers a host of new World Cup-specific upgrades and services on Google News and YouTube, as well as on its AI assistant. The service are available on the web, and on the apps.
Fixtures and news will be available upfront, with cards with updated standings, stats and trending players throughout the World Cup. There will also be post-match video highlights.
On Android phones, there will be the Pin Score feature that football fans would truly appreciate—simply leave a floating bubble of the latest score on the phone’s home screen, and you will be able to keep an eye on the score even as you use another app. This would come in handy if you are stuck in a meeting and your boss is not a football fan.