Samsung One UI’s Now Bar Is So Cool, Other Brands Are Copying It

Samsung’s Now Bar is undoubtedly one of the coolest features of its custom Android skin, One UI. The feature has also caught the attention of other smartphone makers thanks to its simple way of showing ongoing information on the lock screen. Reports suggest brands like OPPO and OnePlus are now gearing up to offer similar capabilities for their users.

Now Bar-like feature is coming to OPPO and OnePlus phones

Introduced in One UI 7, Now Bar is a pill-shaped widget that appears at the bottom of the lock screen and Always-On Display. It shows live information from both the system and partner apps without unlocking the phone. This comes in handy to quickly see things like timers, music playback, navigation updates, and routine activities. It removes the need to open supported apps to get real-time information.

However, OPPO and OnePlus smartphone users will soon get a Now Bar-like experience through their own upcoming software updates. This could be part of ColorOS 16.1 for the former and OxygenOS 16.1 for the latter. The companies will reportedly call it Lockscreen Island.

A teaser video of ColorOS 16.1 has recently surfaced on the web, giving us a look at how “Lockscreen Island” could work. The visuals suggest a compact, interactive widget that sits at the bottom of the lock screen, similar to Now Bar. The feature may display ongoing activities such as media playback and call details. If you swipe left or right, it switches between different cards. Tapping on the card opens more detailed information.

OPPO will reportedly open a beta program for ColorOS 16.1 sometime today. You can apply for the program to get a taste of the new software early, along with the possible Lockscreen Island. Meanwhile, Samsung continues to add more services to its Now Bar, increasing the number of supported apps. In One UI 9, the company may also tweak the Now Bar’s look with a darker theme.