OnePlus 15 and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. | Image by PhoneArena
Samsung One UI has received several interesting upgrades recently, one of which is the new Now Bar. Well, it seems to have really impressed OnePlus and Oppo a lot, as both are reportedly planning to roll out a similar feature with their upcoming software updates.
What exactly is the Samsung Now Bar?
If you don't own a Galaxy smartphone, chances are you might not be aware of the Now Bar feature. It's basically a pill-shaped interactive widget that Samsung introduced with the One UI 7 update. It appears at the bottom of the lock screen on Galaxy devices and displays crucial information, such as active notifications, media controls, and more.
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Over time, the tech giant has introduced some noticeable upgrades to the Now Bar. For instance, it can now display live notifications, and the ability to show missed calls has also been added with the One UI 8.5 update. All in all, it's an interesting upgrade that ensures you can get most of the important information about certain apps and services on the lock screen itself.
Now Bar-like feature is coming to Oppo and OnePus
New Lockscreen Island on Oppo phone. | Image by TECH INFO
Now Bar is one of those upgrades that you would definitely want on your smartphone. Fortunately, your wish is soon going to be fulfilled if you own an Oppo or OnePlus device. The OnePlus Club, which is known for sharing correct information about upcoming OnePlus devices and changes, recently posted on X that the upcoming ColorOS 16.1 and OxygenOS 16.1 will include a feature similar to Now Bar.
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It will reportedly be called the "Lockscreen Island." The shared image suggests it will also appear at the bottom of the lock screen and show cards for music controls and call details.
However, it is expected to display much more information than the Now Bar. A video shared by another X user reveals that it will show messages, the clock, and directions.
In addition to all these, the OnePlus Club mentions in its post that the upcoming update will introduce a completely new lock screen media player UI. It will reportedly display the album art, playback controls, and lyrics.
Other changes coming with ColorOS 16.1
Of course, ColorOS 16.1 and OxygenOS 16.1 will be very similar. Still, certain features are sure to arrive with the upcoming ColorOS 16.1 update on compatible Oppo devices.
Oppo is revamping the overall UI of its camera app. It will now reportedly feature a glassy visual style, which will look very similar to the new camera app design that was introduced for iPhones with the iOS 26 update.
Notifications from different apps and services will become easier to read and manage, as they will be separated more clearly following the update. Furthermore, the entire notification panel will feature a transparent, glass-inspired design.
In addition to all these changes, the upcoming OS update for Oppo devices will make animations smoother than before. Furthermore, the next software update will uniformly apply transparency and a few other visual adjustments across different menus and panels.
What's the one thing you'd want Oppo and OnePlus to borrow from another Android brand?
You don't have to wait much to try out the new upgrades
Now Bar seems like a must-have capability on every smartphone. Samsung has it, and now Oppo and OnePlus are about to do something similar. iPhones have Dynamic Island, which also functions similarly.
All that said, the upcoming software update will become available for compatible Oppo and OnePlus devices in China on April 16. For reference, both smartphone brands use ColorOS as their operating system name in China. The update will most likely become available in global markets soon after its launch in China.
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Aman Kumar is a tech news writer with a long-standing passion for smartphones. Aman specializes in everything smartphones, from AI features like Pixel’s Camera Coach to understanding ideal hardware combinations. He loves breaking down complex features in a simple, clear way and hopes manufacturers bring back bold designs like the Nokia N-Gage. When he’s not writing, he’s either gaming on PUBG or talking fitness as a dedicated gym enthusiast.
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