Concept · iOS
Concept · iOS
Live Status
for Apple Contacts.
Live Status
for Apple Contacts.
A native concept for music presence in iOS Contacts.
A native concept for music presence in iOS Contacts.
Designed by Ricky Roacho · 2026
Designed by Ricky Roacho · 2026
The Spark
Spotify’s Friend Activity exists, but it’s buried on desktop where most people rarely see it. Apple’s Contact Posters are beautifully designed, but they’re mostly static.
I wanted to explore what could happen if those two ideas met inside the iOS contact experience: a way to express what you’re listening to without having to post about it.
Spotify’s Friend Activity exists, but it’s buried on desktop where most people rarely see it. Apple’s Contact Posters are beautifully designed, but they’re mostly static.
I wanted to explore what could happen if those two ideas met inside the iOS contact experience: a way to express what you’re listening to without having to post about it.
The Question
What would it look like if real-time music activity lived directly inside someone’s contact card?
The goal was not to turn Contacts into another social feed. I wanted it to feel quiet, personal, and with privacy in mind, closer to "Find My" than a public broadcast.
What would it look like if real-time music activity lived directly inside someone’s contact card?
The goal was not to turn Contacts into another social feed. I wanted it to feel quiet, personal, and with privacy in mind, closer to "Find My" than a public broadcast.
The Core
Experience
I designed the prototype around one main moment: opening someone’s contact card and instantly seeing what they’re listening to when the feature is active.
The live waveform and now-playing card were designed to feel native to the Contact Poster, not like a feature layered on top of it.
I designed the prototype around one main moment: opening someone’s contact card and instantly seeing what they’re listening to when the feature is active.
The live waveform and now-playing card were designed to feel native to the Contact Poster, not like a feature layered on top of it.
The Privacy Layer
The
Privacy Layer
Music can say a lot about someone’s mood, taste, or even what they’re going through, so sharing needed more nuance than a simple on/off toggle.
I explored states like "Live, Just Finished, Quiet Hours, Hidden, and Off" to give people control without making the experience feel heavy.
Music can say a lot about someone’s mood, taste, or even what they’re going through, so sharing needed more nuance than a simple on/off toggle.
I explored states like "Live, Just Finished, Quiet Hours, Hidden, and Off" to give people control without making the experience feel heavy.
The Utility
I added one small action that made the concept more useful: "Add to my Queue"
Instead of just seeing what someone is listening to, you can act on it right away. That turns passive music presence into a lightweight recommendation moment.
I added one small action that made the concept more useful: "Add to my Queue"
Instead of just seeing what someone is listening to, you can act on it right away. That turns passive music presence into a lightweight recommendation moment.
The Outcome
The final result was a five-screen interactive prototype designed around Apple’s interface patterns and completed in one focused session.
The concept could work as a native iOS feature, an Apple Music extension, or a more privacy-focused alternative to Spotify Friend Activity.
The final result was a five-screen interactive prototype designed around Apple’s interface patterns and completed in one focused session.
The concept could work as a native iOS feature, an Apple Music extension, or a more privacy-focused alternative to Spotify Friend Activity.
