Samsung is set to unveil an upgraded version of its voice assistant, Bixby, as part of the upcoming One UI 8.5, which will launch with the Galaxy S26 on February 25th. This enhancement marks a significant shift for Bixby, which has often been overshadowed by competitors like Gemini. Users in select countries, including the US, Germany, India, Korea, Poland, and the UK, will be the first to experience these updates, with plans for broader rollout later.
Among the new features, Bixby will gain improved contextual understanding of user commands, allowing for more intuitive interactions. For instance, a command such as, "I don’t want the screen to time out while I’m still looking at it," will prompt Bixby to activate the 'Keep Screen on While Viewing' setting without any additional navigation. Additionally, users can inquire about issues like accidental screen activation, and Bixby will provide direct access to relevant settings.
Despite speculation about the integration of Perplexity's AI technology, Samsung has not confirmed its involvement in the enhancements. Furthermore, Bixby will now support real-time web searches directly within its interface, eliminating the need to switch to a browser for answers. As excitement builds for the Galaxy Unpacked event, users eagerly anticipate the full capabilities of the upgraded Bixby experience.