As seen in Samsung’s One UI 7 beta program, and ready for its official release alongside the S25 series, the Now Bar is Samsung’s take on Apple’s Dynamic Island.
Promising to keep you informed and inspired with tips and recommendations that are “uniquely tailored to your life”, the Now Bar is one of the latest additions to the Galaxy AI toolkit.
Keep reading to learn more about the new Now Bar that comes with Samsung’s One UI 7 software update, including how it works and which devices will support the feature.
What is the Now Bar?
Revealed by Samsung through its One UI 7 beta programme back towards the end of 2024, the Now Bar promises to seamlessly integrate your “everyday actions and most-used apps into your lock screen”.
The Now Bar will allow you to access apps and controls directly from your lock screen, enabling you to do anything from translation, see live updates from sports matches, follow map directions and more.
To help explain further, Samsung offers an example of how the Now Bar can come in handy. It explains that while you prepare for an upcoming overseas trip, Now Bar will offer a prompt to create a folder of your essential apps so you can access them faster.
Samsung continues “so you don’t miss your flight, it lets you know when it’s time to leave for the airport” and can even provide a curated travel playlist to set the mood for your long flight.
Finally, users can also access the weather forecast via the Now Bar with a “single swipe” and see the highlights of your day with the Now Brief.
How does the Now Bar work?
Now Bar is powered by Galaxy AI and Samsung’s Personal Data Engine which enables personalised AI features by analysing your data on-device for “tailored experiences that reflect your preferences and usage patterns”. All data is kept private and secured by Knox Vault.
Samsung also introduces post-quantum cryptography with the Galaxy S25 series, which keeps personal data safe against emerging threats.
Which devices will support the Now Bar?
The Now Bar can be found on Samsung’s flagship S25 series which includes the Galaxy S25, S25 Plus and S25 Ultra.
In addition, as it’s a One UI 7 feature, all devices that are eligible for the upgrade will also sport the new feature. However, just note that the OS update won’t be ready for these devices alongside the S25 series, so you may need to wait a bit longer.
These devices include but aren’t limited to:
- Galaxy S21 series and above, including last year’s flagship lineup: Galaxy S24, S24 Plus, S24 Ultra and S24 FE
- Galaxy Z Fold 3 and above, including the latest Z Fold 6
- Galaxy Z Flip 3 and above, including the latest Z Flip 6
