Samsung is getting ready to make its now bar feature more useful with a UI’s next major update. Now the bar was introduced with an UI 7.0 based on Android 15, and users on the lock screen without need to unlock the phone – such as the music playback or timer to view and control it. It shows this information in a row of cards, which Samsung now calls the bar. So far the biggest problem with the bar is limited support, as only one small apps work with it, and most of them are made by Samsung. However, according to the official “device experience guide” for the Galaxy Z Philip 7, this is about to change. Right now, 20 apps now support the bar, but by the end of 2025, this number will increase to 35. Samsung did not name the new apps, but it is clear that the company wants to bring this feature into more parts of the phone’s experience.
One UI 8 is now bar settings and currently supported apps. | Image Credit – First
Part of this extension can help Android 16, including a new tool for developers. This tool, called a standard API, allows apps to show the lock screen and direct updates on the status bar – such as delivery or media playback -. The current version of Samsung’s One UI 8 does not use this system yet, but if it happens in the future, it can now open more app support. There is also a new improvement in the Galaxy Z Philip phones. I A UI 7.0, you can only see the bar card on the cover screen, but try to communicate with them will open the app or its widget. With A UI 8Now, the bar works on both the core and the screen, which allows users to interact with these cards directly from the external display. This is a great improvement for people who like to use their phone one hand or when it is folded. Although we do not yet know which apps will be included, it is a sign that Samsung now wants to make a large part of the galaxy experience. If Samsung has also decided to use Android’s built-in direct updates feature, it can now make the bar even more powerful and useful-not just for Samsung apps, but also for all kinds of services.
Read the latest from Johanna Romero
