Samsung Does New Bixby Interface in Major Update

 Been a long time since we had an unimpressed look at Bixby.   Some good details here.

Samsung Reveals New Bixby Interface and Features in Major Update By Eric Hal Schwartz   in Voicebot.ai

Samsung has officially announced plans to revamp the Bixby virtual assistant a little over a month after it quietly began releasing the update to some Samsung smartphones. The changes bring a new, simplified interface and several new features to Bixby, with an eye toward making Bixby more accessible and personalize the voice commands it suggests.

BACKGROUND AI

Bixby’s new look is all about discretion and consolidation. Talking to Bixby no longer requires all of the screen’s real estate. Bixby runs from a section at the bottom of the screen, with a horizontal bar and faded background letting the user know the voice assistant is listening. The app on the smartphone is condensed as well, with everything related to Bixby on a single home screen instead of using separate pages for the Bixby Capsules. Bixby is also keen to help people use its features more often, providing suggestions for commands based on popular trends. The AI can even track what a user has done before and provide ideas for things to do with Bixby that they might not realize are available.

“Using Bixby feels more personal in the latest update, as the service now offers customized voice command suggestions based on your usage patterns and other devices you have registered with Bixby, Samsung explained in its announcement. “With recommendations for a variety of apps and services, the new tailored experience helps you discover more ways to use Bixby and improve your Galaxy experience.”

BIXBY’S FUTURE

The updated Bixby certainly confirms Samsung’s faith in the voice assistant. That matters more than it might normally after months of rumors that Samsung was dropping Bixby in favor of Google Assistant. Samsung shutting down Bixby Vision, the augmented reality feature of its voice assistant that can measure objects and simulate objects in a room, and reassigning the Bixby developer marketing team to other areas at the end of September didn’t help. And that news followed stories of other Bixby departures, including Voicebot’s exclusive report from July that Adam Cheyer, Viv Labs co-founder, and Samsung vice president leading Bixby development, had left the company. ... " 

Samsung Shuts Down Bixby AR

Recall we looked at Bixby closely here for assistant capabilities in appliance domains. And in particular noted the blending of AR capabilities, though saw no practical examples.   Notable move here.   Still the integration of AR and assistance  functionality should be worthwhile.

Samsung Shutting Down Bixby Vision AR Features After Staff Cuts  By Eric Hal Schwartz in Voicebot

Samsung is shutting down Bixby Vision, the augmented reality feature of its voice assistant. Pulling up Bixby Vision on the camera prompts a notice about a change in the service saying Samsung will end support for the AR features at the end of October. The end of AR is the latest indicator of Samsung’s shifting plans for Bixby during staff layoffs.

BIXBY AR   The augmented reality aspects of Bixby Vision included the ability to measure objects, simulate wearing makeup or placing furniture in a room, and creating AR versions of emoji and stickers. Those are the capabilities that Bixby Vision will no longer offer at the end of the month. Other aspects of Bixby Vision will still work, like the text reader, translator, and the accessibility feature that describes a room for people with impaired vision. The voice commands related to the remaining Bixby Vision features appear to be staying in place as well.

Though it may not be directly related, it’s hard not to see the AR shutdown in the context of Samsung’s decision to close down the Bixby developer marketing team at the end of September. That team worked to recruit Bixby capsule developers, which could include Bixby Vision features. In turn, that news followed stories of other Bixby departures, including Voicebot’s exclusive report from July that Adam Cheyer, Viv Labs co-founder, and Samsung vice president leading Bixby development, had left the company.

VIV LIVES  At the same time, as Bixby’s focus seems to be narrowing, Viv Labs, the acquisition from which Bixby was born, seems to be surviving. Viv still supports a team of engineers and developer recruiters. Still, Bixby deciding to limit its features adds another layer to the rumors of the voice assistant’s possible demise or absorption by Google Assistant ... ' 

Note also: Samsung  Dropping Bixby in favor of Google Assistant.  

Samsung to Announce Smart Speaker

More competition in what I call the assistant world.   Bixby powered from Samsung.  Beyond just in Korea?  Appears include smart home oriented sensors. 

Samsung Galaxy Home Mini Smart Speaker Arriving Feb. 12
  Eric Hal Schwatrz in Voicebot.ai

...   The smart speaker will use Samsung’s Bixby voice assistant as expected, but won’t need to connect to a smartphone to send and receive messages. On the hardware side, the AKG speakers built into the device are supposed to give it a higher quality sound than the standard smart speaker and it comes with sensors designed to detect dangerous problems like fires or burst pipes, alerting the people who live there about the issue.

The description of the Home Mini fits with what has been seen of the smart speaker already at the Samsung Developer Conference with some extra details. One addition that somewhat changes the smart speaker’s place in the market, however, is the price. Entry-level smart speakers from Google and Amazon cost $50 and are frequently discounted below that. An $83 price tag elevates the Galaxy Home Mini into its own category. If Samsung wants to seed the smart speaker into people’s homes, it may have to use a different tactic like bundling it with the Galaxy S20 smartphone pre-orders. There’s precedent for that as Samsung did the same thing with the Galaxy Buds and the Galaxy S10 smartphone.   .... "