Samsung's Now Bar Is the Sports and Lock Screen Feature I've Been Waiting For

The new feature of Samsung One UI 7 (Android 15): Now Bar, bringing the Galaxy S25 series a new look! This update is not a simple annual iteration, but it brings a large number of major upgrades to practical functions. Although the AI ​​features are excellent, my favorite is this small "Now Bar", and here is the reason.

What is the Now Bar on Galaxy phones?

If you are still waiting for the One UI 7 update or not buying the Galaxy S25, the Now Bar is a brand new tool that displays useful information such as real-time notifications, music, maps and sports at the bottom of the lock screen and at the notification bar, such as real-time notifications, music, maps and sports Event information. You can learn more in our Galaxy S25 Ultra review. It will automatically update based on available information, which is exactly how I have been waiting for sports events on Android.

The same area on the phone also works for Samsung's new Now Brief feature, but I found it not very practical. However, for sports fans, Now Bar is great.

Not just a copy of Dynamic Island

When I first saw Samsung's Now Bar, I thought it would be a botchy copy of Apple's Dynamic Island or Live Activities, but after a few weeks of using the Galaxy S25 and Ultra, I've been completely overwhelmed by it. It conquered. Even if the screen is off, it's a completely game-changer to see the information I really care about. And, it's located at the bottom of the screen, making it easier to interact with than Apple's pill-style design.

For example, I forgot that there was a hockey game on Saturday, but because Now Bar is connected to Google Discover, it knows I'm interested in the NHL. Now Bar immediately showed the match information, the teams and the match start time, all of which were displayed on my always-on display. Without turning on the display, I knew the game was about to begin. I can then view the score without turning on my phone. marvelous!

Better yet, this widget is always visible, even if you are using your phone. As you can see in the image above, when I start using my phone, the sports information of Now Bar moves to the notification bar. When I turn off the phone, it returns to the bottom of the lock screen. It's really awesome.

Now Bar shows driving routes with steering information. It even recognizes my Google TV and immediately shows the YouTube TV's remote. It's so convenient to be able to pause/play directly from the lock screen. It's like Dynamic Island, but it combines Samsung's strengths with Google's intelligence.

There is still room for improvement

Now Bar is great, but far from perfect. First, if you accidentally slide it away, I haven't found a way to get it back easily. This mainly happens on sports scores, you can easily launch Google Maps and it will reappear, but my sports reminder will disappear until the next game. I've only done it once, so it's not a big deal.

Unfortunately, some Now Bar features are missing in One UI beta, but may be restored later. Currently, my Galaxy S25 shows that it supports sports, maps, Samsung Health, translators, clocks, recorders, notes and emergency sharing or alerts from Google. Previously, this list was a little longer. However, they may return at some point.

The good news is that this will almost certainly improve over time. Samsung will improve the look, feel and functionality of the Now Bar. Also, I'm looking forward to third-party support and other applications, which will take things to the next level. Any customization feature will be great. Anyway, Samsung’s latest features have brought a pleasant change to my lock screen, notification bar and status bar.

##### Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

8/10 $1300 $1500 Save $200 The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is a top-notch smartphone with a 6.9-inch QHD Dynamic AMOLED 2X display and a 120Hz refresh rate. It has a Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, 12GB of memory and a 5000mAh battery, and supports 45W ultra-fast charging 2.0.

SoC

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy

Display

6.9 inches, 3120 x 1440, LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz

View on Samsung $1300 View on Amazon View on Best Buy

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