Samsung’s phones and tablets let you add widgets to the lock screen. However, they offer widgets only from first-party apps. That’s because this is not a native Android feature. Samsung is offering it as a part of One UI. Well, you may be able to add widgets from third-party apps to the lock screen of your Galaxy device with One UI 8.0 as Google is planning to give Android 16 the ability to offer widgets for the lock screen.
In a new blog post, Google says that with Android 16 QPR1, Pixel phones will allow users to add widgets to the lock screen. More importantly, the company says that it will bake this feature in Android Open Source Project (AOSP) in Summer 2025. As this will be a native Android feature, it may offer widgets from all apps. Samsung can utilise this feature for Android 16-based One UI 8.0 and offer it to Galaxy devices.
Google Android 16 Lock Screen Widgets
Android 16-based One UI 8.0 coming earlier than usual
It is worth mentioning that Google Pixel Tablet allows you to add widgets to the lock screen. However, that isn’t a native Android feature. Google has added it from its side. Once Samsung utilises Android 16’s native feature for lock screen widgets, you will be able to add a wider array of widgets to the lock screen, such as those for Google Home, allowing you to keep a tab on your smart home devices even when the device is locked.
Google is going to release Android 16 three months earlier than usual. As for when it will come to Samsung’s devices, a tipster claims that the South Korean tech giant will offer it on time, unlike the rollout of Android 15-based One UI 7.0, which is running three months behind the schedule. In fact, Samsung is said to skip One UI 7.1 and One UI 7.1.1 to offer One UI 8.0 on time. Earlier today, its test build was spotted for Galaxy S25.