Apple launched the iPhone’s Dynamic Island in September 2022 when it unveiled the iPhone 14 sequence. That 12 months’s iPhone 14 Professional and 14 Professional Max dropped the notch in favor of a pill-shaped display cutout that appears bigger and uglier than the outlet punch shows on Android telephones. That was comprehensible, as Apple wanted to maintain Face ID authentication in place.
However Apple absolutely embraced the cutout, making a software program characteristic round it referred to as the Dynamic Island. Apple included the bodily cutout into a bigger digital cutout that shows all kinds of data from numerous apps. The Dynamic Island turned viral immediately. It was all folks talked about initially.
Since then, Apple has transitioned all iPhones to Dynamic Island designs. Some Android distributors have tried to repeat this, too, regardless of not likely having to do it. Samsung was one in all them, at the very least till late 2024.
The Korean large not too long ago launched its Android 15 beta program (One UI 7), which appears quite a bit like iOS 18. It even has a Dynamic Island-like interface component that resembles the Dynamic Island.
It’s not positioned on the high of the telephone however on the backside. It’s referred to as the Now Bar, and due to a brand new Samsung announcement, we all know the way it works in relation to Galaxy AI. This can be a key Galaxy S25 characteristic, as these telephones are getting One UI 7 first.
Samsung penned a weblog submit titled “The First Step In the direction of True Al Companion“ that focuses on two options in One UI 7: knowledge encryption and safety and the Now Bar.
Samsung calls One UI 7 “the beginning of a brand new period with the primary AI-integrated working system, a real AI platform that vastly improves cell experiences for customers by means of unprecedented personalization.” That is nonetheless Android 15 on the core, not some groundbreaking new OS that Samsung will launch. It’s Samsung’s model of Android 15 with Galaxy AI options and UI cosmetizations on high.
Within the first half of the report, Samsung makes an enormous deal about privateness and safety, identical to Apple did with Apple Intelligence, which is constructed with privateness on the core.
The corporate introduces a brand new Private Knowledge Engine tech to encrypte your knowledge on the machine. All of it begins with the Galaxy S25, “the following standard-setting” smartphone:
In anticipation of the following standard-setting Galaxy S sequence smartphones, we’re giving Galaxy customers higher peace of thoughts alongside higher personalization. That’s why we’ve created the Private Knowledge Engine, a strong privateness development that ensures on-device, cross-app private knowledge safety.
It’s unclear the way it will all work, however Samsung says that Knox Vault will defend private knowledge from native apps. This platform additionally secures biometric knowledge and different crucial info on the machine. Samsung additionally throws in post-quantum cryptography safety for good measure, a characteristic meant to stop quantum computing decryption sooner or later. That’s really an actual threat the tech world is making ready for.
All of it sounds nice to me. I need nice privateness options for my gadgets and the apps I take advantage of, particularly within the age of AI. However Samsung doesn’t really clarify the way it protects consumer knowledge or how the Galaxy AI will entry it.
Nonetheless, stated encrypted private knowledge will energy the Now Bar’s Galaxy AI options, which is the place the weblog submit is heading.
The Now Bar “provides personalization a brand new which means by seamlessly integrating your on a regular basis actions and most-used apps into your lock display.” The UI component will do all of it: it allows you to “management your leisure, time your subsequent private finest exercise, get instructions to your subsequent assembly or begin speaking in different languages.”
The Now Bar may even condense very important knowledge right into a single spot for a particular state of affairs, supplying you with all the knowledge it’d assume you’ll want. Samsung gives the next instance, making ready for a visit utilizing your Galaxy S25 or every other Samsung telephone that may run One UI 7:
Think about you’re packing for a visit from Seoul, Korea, to San Jose, California. When you prepare, your telephone gives a immediate to create a folder of your important apps for faster entry. So that you don’t miss your flight, it lets when it’s time to go away for the airport. It even gives a curated journey playlist to set the temper on your lengthy flight.
You’ll solely have to swipe on the Now Bar to entry info, such because the climate forecast and different helpful ideas.
Since Samsung prioritizes privateness and safety, I’d be curious how the Now Bar protects the non-public knowledge that Galaxy AI surfaces for the consumer. Samsung doesn’t say, however hopefully, the Now Bar info can’t be accessed until you unlock the telephone first.
Subsequent month, Samsung ought to demo these Now Bar options throughout the Galaxy S25 Unpacked occasion.
