Samsung today announced a significant expansion of the Now Bar lock-screen feature on devices running One UI 7, which will rival Live Activities in terms of real-time convenience and third-party app integration. It was announced alongside the Galaxy S25 series in January, and at the time of its launch, the Now Bar included approximately 20 native Samsung and Google apps.
The announcement today makes it official that Samsung is increasing its support for apps to up to 35 by the end of 2025, which not only expands its ecosystem but also benefits its users. The upgrade is an indication of a more substantial investment in third-party content providers, such as South Korean apps aimed at using the phone to obtain a taxi (Kakao T), or real-time sports scores (Naver Sports), as well as new functionality provided by Google Maps that allows overlaid turn-by-turn directions on the lock screen.
What’s New to Galaxy Users
End users will enjoy wider integration with apps beyond their own, such as Google Maps, and others are joining the ecosystem. That is to say, lock-screen widgets will display real-time data, whether it be a ride reservation, a sports rating, or even a route. The functionality can be found at Settings -> Lock screen & Always-On Display -> Now Bar, where users can enable or disable supported apps.
Available features are current timers, media playback, navigation, and live brief overviews. The growth will result in the apps being used in various fields, including travel, fitness, sports, finance, and food delivery, among others, by the end of the year.
Competitive Context and Strategic People
Amid an increasingly fierce competition within the mobile user experiences in an ambient environment, Samsung is encouraging the emergence of Now Bar assistance. One UI 7 is designed based on Android 15 to provide Samsung with a platform to bring lock-screen functionality. The Now Bar is essentially a reflection of Live Activities, which Apple introduced as part of iOS 16 and has garnered considerable user support for its real-time, interactive notifications.
The more exhaustive rollout timeline of Samsung indicates the expansion of its rollout to other devices besides the S25 segment, beginning in the next month. It is not yet clear which models will be able to access, but it is likely to cover new Galaxy S and perhaps Z foldable series.
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Enhancing the lock screen by incorporating interactive widgets aligns with the broader trends in smartphone UX, driven by the need to view glanceable information without interrupting other tasks. With the Now bar, Samsung leaps ahead in providing the quickest way to instant access to essential app functionality and live content, making OneUI the number one Android OS in terms of personalization and productivity.
What Users Should Expect Next
Over the next few months, its Galaxy S25 customers are expected to get progressive OTA releases that expand third-party app integration. As soon as the update arrives on broader devices, users are encouraged to periodically update their system settings or the Good Lock ecosystem to make changes to the lock screen, such as adding more widgets and layout designs.
Currently, it is only available for the S25 series and One UI 7. Samsung has stated that it will introduce the feature to the rest of its Galaxy line next month, but the details of which products and when remain unknown at this point. Samsung has stated that the expansion process is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
It is expected to accelerate user adoption; more apps are likely to follow Samsung and Google in offering the feature. An example is integration with Google Maps, where users can view routes and take actions without unlocking their device, providing a great convenience, particularly when in transit. This is likely to be catalyzed by the wider application as more developers join, allowing real-time tracking of ride-hailing, food delivery, fitness, live sports, and financial market updates.
Professional Opinion and Market Responses
Analysts in the industry feel that Samsung’s decision is well-timed. With the ambient UX becoming an essential differentiation factor, lock screen innovations in One UI 7 may encourage users to choose Galaxy devices instead of others.
Priya Sharma, mobile experience designer, points out that functionalities, such as Now Bar, introduce a smoother level of accessibility that is critical to day-to-day interactions, as users receive information in real-time, without unlocking devices. John Lee, a market strategist in mobile, says, ‥This is Samsung responding to Live Activities in Apple, but on more flexible Android terms. It is imperative to extend the third-party support.”
As it is demonstrated in consumer behavior studies, the real-time updates on the lock screen could raise app launch and retention Fig. 2.2. Because not all the support will focus on simple apps made by Samsung, apps related to the Now Bar can increase their interaction rates, particularly concerning updates of a time-sensitive nature.
Conclusion
By expanding the repertoire of compatible apps to up to 35 in time for 2013, Samsung is making it clear that it will further invest in lock-screen capabilities. To users of Galaxy S25 this means greater access in real-time; to the rest of the One UI 7 users, the rollout will democratize live interactions -and confirm the superiority of the Samsung ecosystem.
With rollouts of all additional models aiming to move past the S25 series next month, and third-party integration increasing, the Now Bar is poised to become one of the best features of One UI, blurring the boundaries between Android to make mobile use efficient and interactive. This step change is available to Galaxy device users, primarily through watch updates, OTA messages, and improvements in Good Lock, which will continue to arrive through 2025.
