{"id":14430,"date":"2017-07-19T00:00:30","date_gmt":"2017-07-19T04:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.samsung.com\/us\/?p=14430"},"modified":"2019-06-18T23:01:44","modified_gmt":"2019-06-19T03:01:44","slug":"bixby-voice-capabilities-us-launch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.samsung.com\/us\/bixby-voice-capabilities-us-launch\/","title":{"rendered":"Samsung Launches Voice Capabilities for Bixby in U.S."},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., \u2013 July 18, 2017 <\/b>\u2013<\/span> Samsung Electronics America, Inc.<\/strong> today announced that the voice-based feature of Bixby<\/strong><\/a> will be available starting today, for Galaxy S8 and S8+<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>owners in the U.S. Bixby is a smarter way to use a Samsung phone, enabling people to get more done with their smartphone. With this Bixby update, Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ owners will be able to navigate through select phone apps, services and settings with a combination of voice commands and touch.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are over 10,000 functions on our smartphones, but each day, people may use less than five percent of them. The features on your phone are only useful if you know how to find them. Our goal with Bixby is to make it easier to use our phones, creating the best possible user experience for our customers. That\u2019s why we created Bixby \u2013 an intuitive new way to do more things with your phone,\u201d says Injong Rhee<\/a>, Executive Vice President, Head of R&D, Software and Services of Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics. <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Samsung<\/a><\/p>\n

Bixby<\/span><\/strong><\/a>1\u00a0<\/sup><\/span>is a first of its kind experience on a Samsung smartphone. Users can now use their voice to do many things they do with touch. Users can ask Bixby to complete simple tasks like turning on the flashlight, taking a screen shot, or taking a selfie. Bixby can complete more complex tasks like creating a photo album of all the pictures a user took last week and calling it \u201cVacation,\u201d and then sharing those photos with family and friends. Users can have Bixby remember things and remind, such as \u201cremember this is where I parked,\u201d or \u201cremind me to pick up eggs and milk at the grocery store.\u201d<\/p>\n

What\u2019s more, because Bixby is deeply integrated into the device\u2019s operating system \u2013 rather than being a separate app \u2013users can seamlessly switch between controlling an app via voice or via touch commands, rather than choose one or the other ahead of time.<\/p>\n

Bixby will be fully integrated across several core Samsung apps at launch, with plans to continuously expand to support additional languages, features, third-party apps and devices.<\/p>\n

At launch, users will be able to access Bixby\u2019s voice capabilities in a set of third-party apps on an opt-in basis via Bixby Labs. Within Bixby Labs, users can experiment with upcoming applications to take advantage of the benefits Bixby offers. Initially, select third-party apps including Google Maps, Google Play Music, YouTube, Facebook, and others are available in Bixby Labs.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/youtu.be\/34-LYLuq-aI<\/p>\n

To enable Bixby\u2019s voice-based capabilities, Galaxy S8 and S8+<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>owners in the U.S. can press the Bixby button to begin onboarding starting today, July 18. Once the software is updated, users can activate Bixby by holding the dedicated button on the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ phones, or by simply saying, \u201cHi, Bixby.\u201d The Bixby update will be available starting today on Galaxy S8 and S8+ from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon and U.S. Cellular.<\/p>\n

Bixby users will earn experience points (XPs) the more they use Bixby, when sending a message, making a call, updating settings or giving feedback. Starting today through September 14, 2017, users can convert XPs into Samsung Rewards <\/a>points2<\/sup> that are accumulated to try to win prizes such as Samsung products<\/span>, gift cards<\/a>, trips, and more.<\/span><\/p>\n

For more information, please visit Samsung.com<\/a>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

About Bixby<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Bixby is a smarter way to use your Samsung smartphone and helps you get more done.<\/p>\n