Samsung have announced their new flagship mobile, the Galaxy S10. There are numerous improvements that this model has over its predecessor, including the AI voice assistant Bixby. The AI on the previous Samsung Galaxy S8 and S9 is also scheduled to receive a Bixby software update.
Bixby Routines
A new feature that Samsung has added to the Galaxy S10 is Bixby Routines. This allows the AI voice assistant to learn your particular routine. It can, and will, even go to the lengths of recommending ways you can save time. Bixby Routines adopts to learn and interpret your personal patterns and inclinations based how and when you use your phone. It uses that information to suggest changes to your routine or incorporate third-party apps, settings or features you may benefit from. For example, you may have a routine you have before bed – to put the brightness lower and switch the blue light filter on etc. Bixby will be able to adapt and automatically do this for you.
Wish List, Apps Mode and Picture Play
Next on the list is a Wish List option. When you see something you may consider buying later, Wish List lets you take a picture and save it for reference for the future. A new Apps Mode helps you to use AR (Augmented Reality) in your everyday lives. For example, you can use it to see what you would look like with a hair dye or sunglasses. Picture Play is also a new feature coming with the Galaxy S10. It learns about movies you’re interested in. It also allows you to see the trailer for said movie if you show Bixby the poster for it.
Voice Unlock and Quick Commands
Voice Unlock will be a new feature that lets you interact with the AI when your phone is locked. Say if you’re busy or (just plain lazy, sorry to say), you can say ‘Hi Bixby’ and it’ll recognise your voice and allow you to use it. The new features also makes it easier to share your customised Quick Commands with your contacts. Quick Commands is where you can change the wording of the pre-made commands to suit yourself better. As well as that, you can save your Quick Commands on your phone’s home screen for situations where you’d prefer not to speak aloud.
Remapping the Bixby Button
Samsung is now allowing it’s users to remap the Bixby button natively (finally). This’ll be for the Galaxy S10 button naturally but it will come to the Galaxy S8 and S9 through a software update. So what can you do now? Say you don’t use Bixby much, you can then get the button to open any app of your choice instead. You can open the third-party app will a single or double-press of the button. If you decide not to, it’ll open Bixby feed as per usual.
