Samsung's voice assistant is finally getting the glow-up it deserves. The company just announced a beta program for a completely revamped version of Bixby that's rolling out with One UI 8.5, and honestly, it's about time. The new Bixby is less "robot trying to understand you" and more "helpful friend who just gets it."
The biggest change? You can now talk to Bixby like an actual human being. No more memorizing specific commands or hunting through endless settings menus to find that one toggle buried six layers deep. Just tell Bixby what you want in plain English, and it'll figure out the rest.
"Since we introduced our first AI phone in 2024, we've been committed to making them easier to use so more people can benefit from AI," explained Won-Joon Choi, Samsung's Chief Operating Officer for Mobile eXperience. The company's goal was simple: reduce friction and make everyday tasks actually, well, easy.
Talk Like a Human, Get Results Like Magic
Here's where things get interesting. Let's say you're reading something on your phone and getting annoyed that the screen keeps dimming. Instead of Googling "how to keep Samsung screen on" or navigating through Settings > Display > Screen timeout > blah blah blah, you can just say: "I don't want the screen to time out while I'm still looking at it."
Bixby instantly knows you're talking about the "Keep Screen on While Viewing" feature and turns it on. No guesswork, no frustration, no wasted time.
But it gets better. The new Bixby doesn't just blindly follow commands—it actually thinks about your situation. Ask something like "Why is my phone screen always on when it's inside my pocket?" and Bixby will analyze what's happening and suggest relevant settings, like Accidental Touch Protection, letting you enable it right then and there.
This contextual awareness is huge for anyone who's ever felt overwhelmed by smartphone settings (so, basically everyone). Whether you're tech-savvy or still figuring out how to adjust your ringtone, Bixby can now meet you where you are.
Web Search Without the Browser Bounce
The other major upgrade is real-time web search integration. Bixby can now pull live information from the internet and display it directly in its own interface. No more getting kicked out to a browser, opening a new tab, or losing your train of thought.
Planning a family trip? Just say, "Find me hotels in Seoul that have swimming pools for kids," and Bixby will serve up relevant results without making you leave the app. It's all about keeping you in the flow instead of bouncing between apps like a digital pinball.
When Can You Get It?
The new Bixby is currently available in the One UI 8.5 beta in select markets: Germany, India, Korea, Poland, the UK, and the US. Samsung plans to expand availability to more regions soon. For Malaysian users, more details are available on Samsung Malaysia's official website.
And speaking of what's next—Samsung is gearing up for Galaxy Unpacked on February 26, 2026, at 2 a.m. Malaysia Time. The event promises to showcase "a new phase in the era of AI as intelligence becomes truly personal and adaptive." You can catch the livestream on Samsung Malaysia's website, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Early birds who register their interest between February 11-25 will snag a RM150 e-voucher for new Galaxy devices and get entered into a draw for mystery gifts worth up to RM68,000. Not a bad incentive to stay up late (or wake up early, depending on your sleep schedule).
The bottom line? Samsung is betting big on making AI feel less like talking to a robot and more like having a genuinely helpful assistant. If the new Bixby delivers on its promises, Galaxy users might finally have a voice assistant they actually want to use.
- PakChaq Riq
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