Samsung’s new Bixby beta is a direct push to make the assistant feel more like ChatGPT or Gemini, but with a clearer job, running your Galaxy phone. Instead of barking precise commands, you’re supposed to talk normally and let it translate intent into actions.
The update is tied to One UI 8.5 and starts in select markets, including Germany, India, Korea, Poland, the UK, and the US Samsung says a wider expansion is coming, but it hasn’t shared a timeline or a list of supported devices, so availability will vary by model and region.
The headline feature is fewer trips through menus. You can describe what you want in your own words, even if you don’t know the exact name of a setting. Bixby is meant to understand the request, then surface the right control and apply it.
Natural language control, fewer menu dives
Samsung’s example is the screen timing out too quickly. If you say you don’t want it to turn off while you’re still looking at it, Bixby can enable “Keep Screen on While Viewing” without you hunting for the label.
That matters because Galaxy settings can be deep, and the names aren’t always obvious. If the assistant gets intent right, it turns common tweaks into a quick ask. Short. Done.
A smarter way to fix annoyances
Samsung is also leaning into troubleshooting. The assistant can consider the context of your question, check what’s already enabled, then suggest a fix you can apply immediately.
If your screen stays on when the phone is in your pocket, it can point you to “Accidental Touch Protection” and let you toggle it. That’s the kind of practical help people often ask chatbots for, but here it’s tied directly into the phone’s controls.
Web answers without leaving Bixby
The other big change is real-time web search shown inside Bixby’s own interface. A request like finding kid-friendly hotels in Seoul can return live web results without sending you off to a browser.
If you’re in one of the launch regions, the best move is to check for One UI 8.5, then test Bixby with messy, everyday requests. That’s where this update either replaces a few ChatGPT or Gemini queries, or falls back into the background.
