Summary
- Now Bar features expanding with One UI 8, available on Galaxy Z Flip’s cover screen for real-time alerts.
- Now Bar supports limited apps in One UI 7, will nearly double to 35 in future updates.
- Now Bar praised for usefulness, reminiscent of old Google Now experience.
Your Galaxy phone’s lock screen is about to get even more useful. Samsung’s “Now Bar,” one of our favorite new One UI features, will soon be expanding its reach dramatically. And if you own a Galaxy Z Flip, you’re in for an extra treat.
When Samsung launched the Now Bar with the Galaxy S25 series, we praised it in multiple reviews for being genuinely helpful. It eventually rolled out to other devices with the One UI 7 update. As cool as it was at first, it was admittedly a bit limited. You could swipe through cards showing essential information from a handful of Samsung and Google apps, along with a couple of third-party options like Uber.
This is the current list (provided by Android Authority) of apps supported by the Now Bar in One UI 7 right now.
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Samsung Apps
- Now Brief
- Media Player
- Timer
- Stop watch
- Interpreter
- Voice Recorder
- Notes
- During exercise
- Current Mode
- Emergency Sharing
- SmartThings TV remote control
- Call
- Do Not Disturb
- Wallet (tickets)
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Samsung Apps
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Google Apps
- Google Sports
- Google Maps
- Third-party Apps
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Google Apps
Related
Samsung’s Coolest One UI 7 Feature Needs More Work
With each new release of One UI for Samsung phones and tablets, we get more personalization and customization options. Samsung’s new One UI 7 update (Android 15) has a lot to offer, and I love the new “Now Bar,” but it could be so much better.
Looking ahead to One UI 8—which ships on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7—things are set to get even better. First, the Now Bar is finally available on the Z Flip’s cover screen, allowing you to get real-time alerts without unfolding your phone. This makes perfect sense and we’re glad to see it.
According to Mishaal Rahman, Samsung is also set to nearly double the number of supported apps. By the end of 2025, you should see up to 35 different services integrated into this handy feature. This information comes from a guide that Samsung sends along to influencers. We don’t know what those new apps will be yet, sadly.
I’ve been very critical of Samsung software in the past, but the Now Bar is a feature I genuinely enjoy having. It reminds me of the old “Google Now” experience that was abandoned a long time ago. Useful information on your screen when you need it. That’s the type of thing AI should be doing for us.
Source: Android Authority
Related
My Favorite Samsung Galaxy Feature Is Even Better In One UI 8, but I Still Want More
Samsung’s new One UI 8 beta (based on Android 16) has a lot to offer, especially on the Galaxy S25 series. While things are still early with this preview of the next version of Android, the “Now Bar” just got even better. Even with two new features, though, I still want more.