Samsung Electronics said on the 20th that it has been running a beta program for Bixby, which has evolved into a device agent, since the 19th.
The evolved Bixby will be rolled out sequentially to the Galaxy S25 series for users participating in the One UI 8.5 beta program. The countries where the One UI 8.5 beta program is operating are Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland and India.
Samsung Electronics said the AI voice assistant Bixby supports more intuitive and easier device control based on natural language in this beta program. When users tell Bixby by voice what feature or setting they want, Bixby understands the user's intent and suggests the appropriate setting or function.
For example, if a user says to Bixby, "I'd like the screen not to turn off while I'm looking at the phone," Bixby understands the request and immediately turns on the Keep screen on while viewing setting. Keep screen on while viewing uses the front camera to recognize a face and keeps the screen on while it detects you're looking at it.
Bixby provides customized solutions that take the current device settings into account. Without checking every setting on the smartphone one by one, users can get troubleshooting tailored to their device's current condition.
For example, if a user says, "It seems the ringtone doesn't sound when a call comes in. Tell me how to fix it," Bixby checks the device's current settings and suggests a solution suited to the situation: "The device is currently in Do not disturb. Would you like to turn off Do not disturb?"
Another feature of this Bixby update is an integrated experience that lets you search and check all information during a conversation. When users ask Bixby what they're curious about, Bixby performs real-time web searches to find the needed information and provides an answer.
Choi Won-joon, president and head of development and chief operating officer (COO) of the MX division at Samsung Electronics, said, "Since introducing the first AI phone in 2024, Samsung Electronics has been continuously improving features so more users can naturally enjoy AI experiences in daily life." He added, "Bixby has evolved into an intuitive device agent that spans the Samsung ecosystem, including Samsung TV and Samsung home appliances beyond Galaxy, and we will further smooth the experience of connection between devices so users can use products more comfortably."