Apple’s Dynamic Island, a feature present on iPhone 15 and 16 models, has been a key design element for over two years, enhanced by the Live Activities feature. Samsung recently introduced a similar concept, the Now Bar, exclusively on its Galaxy S25 series.
Both features use pill-shaped bubbles that can be expanded with a long tap to show more information or controls. Samsung’s Now Bar is larger by default but is only visible on the lock screen or notifications shade. Apple’s Dynamic Island is always visible, surrounding the camera cutout on the iPhone’s display. Live Activities appear in greater detail on the lock screen. Both features can be displayed on an always-on display, though with limited information when the phone is locked.
The Dynamic Island can be dismissed or resummoned with a sideways swipe. Swiping on the Now Bar on the notification shade removes it entirely, requiring the user to reopen and close the app to restore it.
Samsung’s Now Bar allows for stacking multiple widgets, enabling easy switching on the lock screen. The Dynamic Island is more limited, displaying only one full-size widget and, optionally, a minimized one simultaneously. Both, however, show all active activities in their notifications windows.
There is significant functional overlap between the Now Bar and the combination of Live Activities and Dynamic Island, but with notable differences. The Now Bar can be toggled on or off for each compatible app, or disabled entirely within the Settings. The Dynamic Island, integrated into iOS, cannot be switched off. Live Activities can be prevented from appearing on the iPhone’s lock screen.
Both systems’ built-in apps offer similar functionalities, such as displaying sports scores, navigation directions, voice recording progress, and clock functions.
However, the Now Bar, being newer, currently lacks support for third-party apps. Apple’s Live Activities, in contrast, are utilized by a variety of apps, including delivery services, ride-sharing services, and task management applications.
The Now Bar also displays currently playing media on the lock screen, but not in the notification shade. Apple includes media controls in the Dynamic Island, even when the Control Center is accessible.
Presently, the Dynamic Island and Live Activities combination offers more functionality, primarily due to its two-year head start. The Now Bar, despite being a new feature, shows promise with its ability to cycle through multiple widgets and granular per-app settings. However, it needs broader app support to reach its full capabilities.
