Samsung wants third-party apps to be compatible with Now Bar

View of the lock screen on the Galaxy S25 Ultra

(Image credit: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)

What you need to know

Samsung is reportedly "planning" to introduce several third-party apps into the fold for One UI 7's Now Bar.
Many are still unknown; however, rumors state Kakao T, Naver Sports, YouTube, and YouTube Music could be on the way.
A rumor from mid-March claimed Samsung was looking into "forced" third-party support and more customization options for the Now Bar via Good Lock.

Rumors are surfacing again about Samsung's apparent interest in expanding app support for a key One UI 7 feature.

A report by ETNews (Korean) claims Samsung is "planning" to introduce several third-party apps to users with Now Bar compatibility (via 9to5Google). The Korean OEM is reportedly going to bring these additional apps to One UI 7's Now Bar with "cross-app actions." As the post notes, this is one of the key features of the newest Galaxy S25 series, so it seems there's a chance Samsung wants to keep this consistent even with third-party additions.

Regarding what Samsung could bring, there's speculation from an alleged industry source that the Now Bar could add Kakao T and Naver Sports. The former is a transportation app in South Korea responsible for taxis, driver bookings, and scooter sharing. The post states the addition of Naver Sports could be similar to the likes of Google Sports.

There is more to be expected; however, the report didn't express what those could be. However, it curiously highlights YouTube and YouTube Music, stating those apps are "not yet installed." It seems Samsung is moving to bring those into the Now Bar (which would be nice), but nothing's clear just yet.

The Now Bar on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 — (Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)

Rumors surfaced a week ago about Samsung's alleged plans for the future of the Now Bar, which includes third-party apps. Though a small mention, a tipster claimed Samsung was moving along with an update that would bring "forced support for all third-party apps." Fortunately, this new South Korean report gives us a better idea of what might show up for the Now Bar if all goes well.

The core of that previous rumor was the new customization features the company is supposedly working on. Speculation states the Now Bar will receive a dedicated Good Lock module that'll let users change its color, size, and animations.

Meanwhile, that Google Sports update for the Now Bar dropped earlier this month. The patch essentially made it easier for users to see the scores they want and keep up with their favorite teams in a streamlined way. Users can browse through "Following" and "Recommended" sports/team tabs, as well as a full list of available organizations. That update for One UI 7 made it even easier for users to manage their notifications, too.

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