Samsung revived Bixby, its in-house voice assistant, with deep web search capabilities powered by Perplexity, despite promoting Google’s Gemini AI. The new version will be available with the One UI 8.5 software update.
The revamped Bixby now interprets conversational natural language, allowing users to interact naturally without specific phrasing, according to a 9To5Google report.
“We redesigned Bixby to enable more natural interactions and intuitive device control,” Samsung stated in a deleted newsroom post. This new Bixby AI assistant gains access to device settings.
For example, users can ask the assistant to prevent the screen from timing out while active. Bixby will then direct them to the “Keep Screen On While Viewing” option within the settings menu.
This device settings access could improve user experience, eliminating the need to search through support documentation or videos for specific features.
Perplexity integration enables Bixby to manage multi-step internet browsing tasks. Commands such as “Find me the best restaurant for eating burgers in my locality” or “Find the best cafes for having coffee near my house” will reportedly yield relevant results beyond basic searches.
The new Bixby is slated to launch with One UI 8.5, which is expected to coincide with the Galaxy S26 series release. The Galaxy S26 series is anticipated to launch in late February and be available for sale in the first half of March. The AI-infused Bixby should be included in the fourth One UI 8.5 beta update for eligible devices.
Samsung’s subsequent deletion of the official newsroom post remains unclear. The company may have published the announcement prematurely, indicating a potential revision in their Bixby reboot strategy.
