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Samsung is collaborating with external app developers to enhance its Now Bar feature, which is located at the bottom of the lock screens on select Galaxy smartphones. This feature aims to provide real-time information, rivaling Apple’s Dynamic Island and the Live Activities capability found on iPhones. Presently, the Now Bar primarily displays data from a handful of Samsung applications and a few music apps, resulting in limited functionality. Samsung appears to be using South Korea as a testing ground to expand this support, optimizing several local apps for better integration with the Now Bar.
One of the standout applications involved in this effort is Kakao T, which serves as South Korea’s leading ride-hailing app. It’s expected that the Now Bar will be able to inform users of their driver’s arrival time, the estimated duration until they reach their destination, and the time spent using a rental vehicle or bike—all without needing to unlock the device. The global equivalent of this feature can be seen in Uber, which utilizes Apple’s Dynamic Island to display ride details.
In addition, Samsung is set to partner with Naver, South Korea’s main search engine and a competitor to Google, to introduce its Naver Sports feed to the Now Bar. By connecting preferred sports teams to a Naver account, users will gain access to real-time scores and updates. This feature is anticipated to cover various sports, including soccer, basketball, baseball, and volleyball. By adapting these applications for the Now Bar, Samsung is progressing toward broader app support that will appeal to users beyond South Korea.
Reports suggest that Samsung is working on adapting 11 new local apps for this feature, though their names have not yet been disclosed. Furthermore, the company is looking to include its “Cross App Action” functionality, also known as Seamless Actions, allowing its virtual assistant—either Bixby or Google Gemini—to perform multiple tasks across several apps through a single voice command.
Samsung has been observed testing applications like Google Maps for use with the Now Bar. There are also possible plans to utilize the Good Lock app to customize the appearance of the Now Bar and even integrate unsupported apps into the feature. The Now Bar is part of Samsung’s One UI 7 software and the Galaxy AI suite. It is available on devices such as the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus, Galaxy S25 Ultra, and Galaxy A56, in addition to some older Galaxy models receiving the One UI 7 update.
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