Your Samsung Phone's Status Bar Is Now More Useful, Thanks To This New One UI 9 Feature

Samsung appears to be adding a very useful feature for power users to the next One UI update for Samsung smartphones. Based on reports showcasing new features found in the One UI 9 beta, which is currently available on Galaxy S26 devices, Samsung appears to be adding an option to enable a "network speed" indicator using one of the modules found in Samsung's Good Lock app — a useful customization tool found on Galaxy devices. The arrival of the new network speed meter was first spotted by SammyGuru, who reported on its addition to One UI 9 in June.

While the feature has reportedly been available across third-party services, this is the first time anyone is seeing it make an appearance as a more native solution directly within the phone's software. Of course, it's important to note that Good Lock, while owned and developed by Samsung, is not actually part of the Galaxy's default settings. You still need to download it to access the QuickStar module, which allows you to enable or disable different indicators on your phone's status bar, including the mobile data signal, alarm icon, volume indicator, and more.

When enabled, the Network Speed indicator appears next to the phone's mobile or Wi-Fi signal icon in the status bar. Here you can see just how quickly the internet connection is working — both for mobile and standard internet connections. It's a welcome addition, especially for Android power users who like to stay on top of exactly how well their phone is handling its functions.

However, Samsung isn't stopping the additional settings to QuickStar there. In One UI 9, Galaxy users will also be able to turn off Samsung's Now Bar by toggling a new feature called Ongoing Chip. The current description for this toggle literally says "Ongoing chip activity," according to images shared in reports from Android Authority, though it is possible that any of the wording here could change throughout the course of the One UI 9 beta.

It's also entirely possible that Samsung eventually brings this feature to Galaxy devices outside of Good Lock and QuickStar; however, it does make sense for it to be available in this particular customization tool. One UI 9 is based on Google's Android 17, which has yet to officially release even for the Google Pixel lineup of smartphones, though several are expected to receive the latest Android update. The beta for One UI 9 is currently only available for Galaxy S26 users, but Samsung is expected to release it to more Galaxy devices in the coming days or weeks.