Katarzyna Petru
Samsung has announced the launch of the beta programme for the new version of Bixby, which, as part of One UI 8.5, is undergoing the biggest transformation in years. The assistant is no longer a simple tool for voice commands, but starting to function as a conversational agent of the device that understands natural language and the user's context. The new Bixby aims to simplify the operation of Galaxy smartphones and reduce the need to navigate through complex settings menus.
Bixby understands what you really want
In One UI 8.5, the One UI assistant no longer requires knowledge of the exact names of functions or the locations of settings. You just need to describe the problem in your own words. An example? A user might say, “I don't want the screen to go off when I'm looking at it.” Bixby will automatically activate the appropriate screen-on function without the need to manually search for it in the system. If someone asks why the phone turns on in their pocket, the assistant will analyse the context and suggest, for example, activating accidental touch protection. This is a real shortcut to the settings, especially for less advanced users.
Real-time searching thanks to integration with Perplexity
One of the major changes is the integration with Perplexity AI. This allows Bixby to access current data from the internet and present results directly in its interface. In practice, this means there is no need to switch to a browser. If a user requests to find hotels in Seoul with a children's pool, the assistant will display the results in the chat window. For location-dependent queries, permission is required to access location data. Samsung emphasises that this information is used solely to generate a response and is deleted after the interaction ends.
Availability and Development Plans
The new version of Bixby in One UI 8.5 is currently available in beta in selected markets: Germany, India, South Korea, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The company announces a gradual expansion of availability. The service can be accessed by logging into a Samsung account and maintaining an active internet connection. Supported languages include, among others, English (various variants), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish, and Portuguese (Brazil).
Samsung is clearly changing the direction of Bixby’s development. Instead of a classic voice assistant, we are getting an intelligent system agent that understands context, analyses settings and uses current data from the web. If the beta lives up to the manufacturer’s promises, One UI 8.5 could significantly improve the daily use of Galaxy smartphones.
source: news.samsung.com
