Samsung has officially announced the roadmap for One UI 7.0, bringing a host of new features to Galaxy devices. The update will start rolling out on April 7, first to the Galaxy S24, Z Fold 6, and Z Flip 6, then expand to the Galaxy S23 and other eligible devices. However, one notable detail in the announcement may disappoint some: Now Brief – one of the standout features of the Galaxy S25 – will apparently not be available on older devices, even if they are upgraded to One UI 7.0.
Now Brief may be exclusive to the Galaxy S25
Now Brief is a new feature that provides personalized information based on a user’s app usage habits. It appears as a pill-shaped bar at the bottom of the lock screen, providing smart updates without unlocking the phone. Currently, the feature is only available on the Galaxy S25 series, and in the latest announcement of One UI 7.0, Samsung only mentioned the Now Bar without mentioning Now Brief.
This raises the question of whether Now Brief is actually being removed on older devices. Some speculate that this could be a strategic decision by Samsung to keep some features exclusive to its latest flagship line. However, it is also possible that the feature requires more advanced hardware, making it impossible for older models to support it.
Does Now Brief Require More Powerful Hardware?
Previously, Sally Hyesoon Jeong, Executive Vice President of Samsung’s Framework R&D Team, emphasized that AI features like Now Brief are powered by the Personal Data Engine, a system that uses machine learning to analyze and process information directly on the device. According to her, these features require more processing power and are only available on devices using the Snapdragon 8 Elite or equivalent chipsets on the Galaxy S25.
If this claim is true, it means that even if updated to One UI 7.0, devices like the Galaxy S24 will not be able to use Now Brief due to hardware limitations.
Even without Now Brief, older devices still get a lot of improvements from One UI 7.0, including a more intuitive interface, smoother performance, and some enhanced AI tools. However, the fact that Samsung doesn’t mention Now Brief in the new features list could be seen as a clear sign that the feature will continue to be exclusive to the Galaxy S25 series.
If you’re looking for a full experience with all of Samsung’s AI features, you may want to consider upgrading to a newer device in the future.
