Samsung is set to enhance its Galaxy Watch lineup with the introduction of the Now Bar, a feature that has already gained popularity in the One UI 7 on Galaxy phones. Recent investigations indicate that this highly anticipated feature is likely to be part of the upcoming One UI 8 Watch update, marking a significant software and UI upgrade for Samsung's smartwatches.
The evidence for the Now Bar's arrival on Galaxy Watches comes from a detailed APK teardown of a leaked version of the SecClockWorkSysUI (version 4.0.57). During this process, multiple strings and references to the Now Bar were uncovered, suggesting that Samsung is tailoring this feature specifically for its smartwatch interface.
An APK teardown is a useful technique that allows developers and enthusiasts to predict future features based on the underlying code. However, it's important to note that not all predicted features may make their way into the final public release.
The Now Bar in One UI 7 is designed to provide users with glanceable, real-time information directly on their devices' screens. According to the strings discovered in the APK, Samsung is customizing this feature for Galaxy Watches, allowing users to choose between a minimal visual display (just an icon) or a more detailed view that includes both an icon and text when the screen is active.
One exciting aspect of the Now Bar is its potential for gesture-based actions. One notable string hints at the ability for users to double-pinch the watch face to open the Now Bar. This feature will also enable additional actions when the bar has no current content, enhancing user interaction with the device.
Essentially, the Now Bar will function as a widget system on Galaxy Watches, surfacing contextually relevant data without requiring users to navigate away from their watch faces. The APK teardown revealed that the Now Bar can display a variety of information, including:
Contextual Suggestions Maps Media Controls Live Sports Scores from Google Tips on how to use the Now BarAdditionally, there's potential for Samsung to incorporate more categories for the Now Bar on Galaxy Watches, such as health metrics and exercise updates.
While the information extracted from the pre-release APK should be regarded as unofficial, it strongly suggests that the One UI 8 Watch will introduce a smarter, more glanceable interface for Galaxy Watches. There is also speculation that Samsung may roll out the Now Bar feature ahead of the official release of One UI 8 Watch, although the details surrounding a rumored beta version and this leak indicate that the feature will likely debut with the update.
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