Samsung has made a major change to its assistant, and with the arrival of One UI 8.5 This transforms Bixby into more than just a voice that responds to commands. The service begins to function as device conversational agent, capable of understanding naturally formulated requests and managing mobile settings without the user having to get lost among menus.
This change is part of the company's strategy to bring the Artificial intelligence for everyday use of Galaxy phones. The goal is for anyone to be able to ask for what you need in your own words, reduce intermediate steps and let Bixby take care of translating the user's intention into concrete actions on the device.
A redesigned Bixby as a device agent
With the new update, Bixby ceases to be just a classic voice assistant and becomes a conversational agent focused on device controlAccording to Samsung, the idea is to minimize friction in everyday tasks, so that setting up the phone or understanding what's happening with a function doesn't require wading through a lot of options.
The company frames this move within its commitment to the AI-powered phones to be unveiled in 2024In these scenarios, the software should adapt to the user, not the other way around. Integrating a device agent directly into the Galaxy experience aims to allow people to leverage AI without having to learn specific commands, menus, or names for each setting.
In various official communications, Samsung emphasizes that this new approach allows more natural interactions and more intuitive control of the mobile, something that until now usually required a certain level of familiarity with the One UI layer or with the menu hierarchy.
The company has accompanied this announcement with a beta program for the new version of Bixby In certain markets, it serves as a testing ground to refine the behavior of the conversational agent before its wider deployment in the Galaxy range.
Control of the mobile phone while talking normally
One of the main changes is that Bixby now understands requests formulated in natural languagewithout needing to remember the exact name of a function or where it's located in the settings. The user can speak to the phone as they would to another person and let the system handle the rest.
This means that it is no longer necessary to know if an option is within Display, Security or Advanced features: Simply describe the problem or what you want to achieveBixby interprets the intent and applies the appropriate settings, saving time and reducing the feeling of "blindly searching" between sections.
Samsung uses as an example a phrase as colloquial as: “I don’t want the screen to turn off while I’m looking at it.”In response to such a request, the agent automatically activates the "Keep screen on while viewing" option, without the user needing to know the exact name or the specific shortcut to find it.
This approach also works when the person isn't quite sure what's going on with their phone. If someone asks, for example, why the screen stays on in their pocket, Bixby checks the device context and displays related settings, such as Accidental Touch Protection, so they can be activated in one step.
In addition to executing direct commands, the agent is capable of detect the current state of the terminal and suggest several solutions possible. This reduces the classic trial and error, something that often frustrates those unfamiliar with all the features of today's smartphones.
Real-time web search integrated into Bixby
Another pillar of this new stage is the ability to consult real-time web information without leaving the assistant's own interface. Through integration with Perplexity, Bixby can access updated content and display responses directly on the mobile screen.
This integrated search allows the user you don't have to open a browser or switch to another application When you need additional information, everything is displayed within Bixby, helping you stay focused on the task at hand and preventing you from switching between tabs or apps.
In practice, requests of the following type can be made: "Find me hotels in Seoul that have children's pools"The agent processes the request, performs the web search, and presents a list of relevant results within its own interface so that the user can explore them more conveniently.
Since the data is live, the system's responses are adjusted to the information available at that moment. Integration with the open web It significantly expands what Bixby can do, as it no longer depends solely on what is stored on the device or on Samsung services.
For certain location-related functions, the agent will ask express consent to access location data when the response depends on them. The company states that this information is used solely to generate the response and is deleted immediately afterward, in line with standard privacy policies.
Languages, requirements and markets where it premieres
The new Bixby is part of the update One UI 8.5 And, for now, it's being rolled out in a limited number of countries. Samsung has confirmed that the feature is available in markets such as Germany, India, South Korea, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United Statesand that the idea is to expand the list later.
In Europe, this means that some users in the region, especially in Key markets such as Germany and the United KingdomThey will be among the first to test the conversational agent on their Galaxy devices. The company has not yet provided specific dates for other European countries, including Spain, although it is assumed that the rollout will follow a gradual schedule.
To use this service, it is necessary Sign in with a Samsung account and have a data connection, either via Wi-Fi or mobile network. Some agent capabilities may vary depending on the region, language settings, and phone or tablet model.
Bixby currently supports a number of specific languages and accentsThese include Spanish from Spain and Latin American Spanish, as well as other languages such as English (in various forms), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, and Brazilian Portuguese. The list could be expanded in the future, although for now it does not recognize all dialects or ways of speaking.
Samsung also notes that actual performance may depend on factors such as pronunciation, voice volume, and ambient noiseThese are nuances that influence how well the system understands what is being said to it, something common in any voice recognition technology.
Another piece in Samsung's AI strategy
The company places this leap for Bixby in a broader context of integration of artificial intelligence throughout its ecosystem. From TVs From connected appliances to mobile devices and home solutions, the idea is for the user to perceive a more unified and simple experience.
In the specific context of Galaxy smartphones and tablets, the conversational agent is presented as a central entry point for managing the device and access information more directly. In contrast to the scattering of settings and apps, Bixby "translates" requests into concrete actions, relying on AI and web connectivity.
This type of functionality fits with the general trend in the sector, where virtually all major manufacturers are betting on conversational interfaces and more contextual assistantsIn Samsung's case, the strategy involves leveraging the Galaxy user base and its own ecosystem to integrate the agent into the heart of One UI.
Although the rollout is currently partial and tied to specific markets, the company's plan aims to extend the experience to more regions and models as the service matures. In countries like Spain or other European states where it hasn't yet been activated, we'll have to keep an eye out for future system updates to be able to try this more conversational Bixby.
With the arrival of One UI 8.5, Bixby ceases to be a traditional assistant and positions itself as a conversational layer that comes between the user and the deviceIt handles interpreting requests, adjusting settings, and retrieving information from the web in real time. For those using a compatible Galaxy device in initial markets, the phone better understands how we communicate on a daily basis and reduces the steps needed to do virtually the same things as before, but in a more direct and less complicated way.
