Samsung acquired Viv Labs in order to build a new and powerful virtual assistant that can rival the offerings from Apple, Google, Microsoft and Amazon. Today, according to Information received by Sammobile, Samsung will use a new virtual assistant named Bixby on all its native apps on the upcoming Android-powered Galaxy S8. For instance, you could be in the Gallery app and search for a particular image just by using your voice and this assistant would work system-wide.
Bixby is thought to be a replacement to Samsung’s S Voice application and offers users the ability to seamlessly access third-party services. “Developers can attach and upload services to our agent,” said Samsung Executive Vice President Rhee Injong. Samsung has already promised next generation software and services in not only their smartphones but also in millions of products across their ecosystem, just think Tizen 😉 This will include wearable devices and home appliances.
The Gear S3 / Gear S2 are new devices and are certainly not near their end of life product cycle. It would not be beyond speculation if Samsung was able to Introduce Bixby into this line-up via a software update and further strengthen their position in the smartwatch wearable market. The Gear S4 seems like a proposition too far into the future for this tech.
Another place that we think Bixby will feel t home is the Samsung Tizen range of Smartphones including the Samsung Z1, Z2, and Z3. This is an area that the Korean tech giant can let its creativity run free and is not bound by any limitations that might be imposed by Google, which can dictate terms in the Android world.
The Smart Home also makes for a natural home for this product, as home automation is a field that Samsung is already doing quite well in with their SmartThings and Smart TV technology. Samsung will be Integrating more of its SmartThings technology into the Smart TV, making it a central IoT hub for connected devices.
Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbOUAAul6aM