From what we remember, the hype around One UI 7 was much more intense than what we’re seeing with One UI 8. One of the main reasons was the long delays leading up to its release. In addition to that, it introduced the Now Bar, a new way to interact with select apps directly from the lock screen, which everyone was eager to try out. Now, iit’s only gets better with added support from Android 16’s Live Notifications API.
One UI 8 will make Now Bar more useful than ever with expanded app support
While One UI 7 brought the Now Bar to more devices, it lacked support for the cover screen on foldables like the Galaxy Z Flip. That changed with One UI 8, which ships with the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Flip 7 FE. In this version, Samsung now allows the Now Bar to show real-time app alerts on the cover screen, making it much more useful when the device is folded.
Mishaal Rahman from Android Authority spotted an interesting detail. According to which, the Now Bar will expand its support from 20 apps to 35. That’s thanks in part to Android 16’s Live Notifications API. These changes are expected to take effect in the latter part of 2025. This also means developers will be able to integrate their app content into the lock screen in a more consistent way.
For now, the Now Bar works with 20 apps, even though Samsung’s official documentation names only 19. These include core Samsung tools—such as Timer, Notes, Voice Recorder, SmartThings TV remote, and Emergency Sharing. As well as Google Maps and third-party services like Uber, Uber Eats, and Waymo. Unfortunately, Samsung hasn’t revealed which other apps will be included in the expanded list of 35.
As we learn more, we’ll keep you updated. Although third-party adoption is still limited, the groundwork is in place for broader compatibility. From here on out, the Now Bar will only get better.