ISTANBUL

US-based global tech firm Apple announced Wednesday it is releasing a new app for sports that would be free for all iPhone models running iOS 17.2 or later. 

Apple Sports delivers real-time scores, stats, and more, designed for speed and simplicity, the company said in a statement.

The app will provide a personalized experience that will put users' favorite leagues and teams up front and center, combined with an easy-to-use interface designed by Apple, it added.

Apple Sports has become available Wednesday to download for free in the App Store in the US, UK, and Canada.

“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, who added that the app makes it easy for users to stay up to date with their favorite teams and leagues.

Apple Sports will allow users to follow leagues in season, which include the Major League Soccer (MLS), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s and women’s, and National Hockey League (NHL) in the US.

In addition, the app will include Germany's professional association football league Bundesliga, the top men's professional football division of the Spanish football league system LaLiga, Mexico's top professional football division Liga MX, French professional league Ligue 1, Italy's top league Serie A, and the Premier League -- the highest level of the English football league system.

Additional leagues will become available on Apple Sports over time, including the US professional baseball league Major League Baseball (MLB), professional American football league National Football League (NFL), National Women's Soccer League NWSL, and Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) for their upcoming seasons.