You may finally get the chance to talk to Samsung’s Bixby by the end of June

By Adam Ismail May 31, 2017

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Samsung Bixby — Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

It was billed by Samsung as the Galaxy S8’s defining feature — one that would put it on equal footing with the iPhone and Google’s Pixel in terms of artificial intelligence. But well over a month since the launch of Samsung’s flagship smartphone, owners outside South Korea are still waiting for Bixby to make its full debut. According to the latest from The Wall Street Journal, that day is getting closer — and not a moment too soon.

Sources told the publication that Samsung is eyeing a late June release for Bixby’s voice features. That could exceed the phone maker’s initial target of the spring, but it is the excuse for the delay that makes the situation considerably less encouraging. Samsung is reportedly still having trouble getting Bixby to comprehend English grammar and syntax.

Recommended Videos

Although Samsung did not provide a concrete answer for its tardiness at the time, the very same reason was rumored back in April, weeks before the Galaxy S8’s launch. The company has had better success in its own market and released Bixby Voice for South Korean users in early May.

“Bixby Voice benefits from time to further enhance natural language understanding, and we are currently growing our user testing in the U.S. to prepare for launch,” a Samsung representative told Digital Trends. “Key features of Bixby, including Vision, Home and Reminder, are available now.”

The Galaxy S8 launched with a dedicated hardware key for the new virtual assistant, which is planned to arrive in many other devices from tablets to kitchen appliances down the line. Bixby could prove its worth as a utility for your smart home — but until then, it is merely a stand-in for Apple’s Siri and the Google Assistant, with a noticeable lack of differentiating features.

As Bixby’s launch appears to still be weeks away, users will have to continue inquiring Google Assistant before that button on the left side of the Galaxy S8 is given any real purpose. Pressing it now merely leads to Hello Bixby, a feed of Google Now-like cards that consists of weather updates, reminders, calendar notifications and links to news stories that might interest you.

Digital Trends first revealed the existence of Bixby in March, following interviews with the head of research and development at Samsung Mobile Communications Business Group in South Korea.

“Philosophically, what we’re looking at is revolutionizing the interface,” Injong Rhee told Digital Trends.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Adam’s obsession with tech began at a young age, with a Sega Dreamcast – and he’s been hooked ever since. Previously…

Mobile

5 phones you should buy instead of the Samsung Galaxy S24

In the market for a new phone? You might be considering the latest offering from Samsung, which includes the Galaxy S24. It’s the entry level model for the S24 lineup, but still packs great performance and power with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip and 8GB RAM, a beautiful LTPO AMOLED display with up to 120Hz refresh rate and 2,600 nits peak brightness. And even though it’s a base model, you get a triple lens camera system.

But the Galaxy S24 isn’t the only option you have out there. Here are five great alternatives to consider if you’re thinking about the S24.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus
Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus Joe Maring / Digital Trends

Mobile

What is Bixby? How to use Samsung’s AI assistant

We’ve all heard of Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri, but what’s all the fuss about this Bixby character? Yet another voice assistant that’s built into smartphones and tablets, Bixby is Samsung’s virtual assistant. If you own something with the ‘Galaxy’ sub-label, you can use Samsung’s digitized companion to do all kinds of things.

Like its competitors, Bixby has a ton of capabilities, but it’s a little different from the rest of the class. Here’s a guide to teach you everything you need to know about the Samsung voice assistant. And be sure to check back regularly, as voice assistants change and evolve all the time.
What is Bixby?

Mobile

5 phones you should buy instead of the iPhone 15 Pro Max

Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max is one of the top choices for a premium smartphone. It offers the latest and greatest from Apple, including the new A17 Pro chip, a fantastic camera system, a lightweight titanium body, the Action button, and USB-C charging. It's a great package.

But there’s no doubt about it — the iPhone 15 Pro Max is also quite expensive, with a starting price of $1,200. It’s also not the only option out there if you want the best smartphone on the market, especially if you aren’t particularly invested in the Apple ecosystem.