Looks like nothing but branding to me, but I guess you could argue it provides some sort of consistency with the status bar. It might also be preparation for a more interactive lock-screen similar to what iOS 8 offers (http://9to5mac.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/img_00071.png).
Looks like nothing but branding to me, but I guess you could argue it provides some sort of consistency with the status bar. It might also be preparation for a more interactive lock-screen similar to what iOS 8 offers (http://9to5mac.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/img_00071.png).