Samsung has announced new updates to Bixby that improve user experience, performance and capabilities of the intelligent assistant and platform. The new updates deliver significant improvements in Bixby’s ability with enhanced language recognition, giving people greater control over their mobile experience.

“When Samsung first launched Bixby as a voice assistant, it was part of a vision to create a human-to-machine interface that makes life easier and can advance over time with Samsung Galaxy innovation,” said YoungJip Kim, Samsung’s Executive Vice President and Head of Artificial Intelligence Team in Mobile eXperience. “Today, we introduce updates to build a more intelligent interface that is proactive and adaptive, giving people greater control over their mobile experience.”

Giving People Greater Control over their Mobile Experience

The new Bixby updates bring several new features and improvements that allow people to customise their user experience further, including the recent availability of Bixby Text Call[1] in English. Now, English speakers can answer calls from anywhere by typing a message, which Bixby converts to audio and communicates to the caller directly on their behalf.

Users can also personalise their Bixby Text Call voice. Using the new Bixby Custom Voice Creator[2], users can record different sentences for Bixby to analyse and create an AI generated copy of their voice and tone. Currently available in Korean, this generated voice will also be compatible with other Samsung apps beyond phone calls in the future. And for those who want to customise their wake word, Bixby now supports changes to the Custom wake-up[3] phrase within Bixby settings as well, adding a new option to create a personalised wake-up phrase.

[1] Bixby Text Call is available on selective models including Galaxy S23, S23+, S23 Ultra, Z Fold4, and Z Flip4. It works on phones with One UI 4.1.1 or above for Korean and phones with One UI 5.1 or above for English.

[2] Bixby Custom Voice Creator is available on selective models including Galaxy S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra. It works on phones with One UI 5.0 or above. Availability of functions may vary depending on the device model. The application is available for download via settings within Bixby or the Samsung Phone application (native call app).

[3] The feature is available in Korean as of date and on selective models including Galaxy S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra. Exact timing and availability of the updates may vary by market and are subject to change.

From Intelligent Assistant to Intelligent Platform

Today, Bixby can provide more seamless continuity and better attune to user needs with the introduction of new scenarios[1], including playing music depending on the type of exercise in Samsung Health or saving schedules in Calendar. Now, Bixby can better understand intent and process follow-up requests by understanding context and associating words previously used in interactions. For example, Bixby users can first launch a workout on Samsung Health and then ask Bixby to play music[2] that best suits that exercise by saying “Play music for this workout.”

[1] The eight scenarios are all currently available in Korean. More languages to be supported.

[2] Supported music applications include Melon, Bugs, Genie and FLO as of date.

Enhanced Language Recognition, Processing and Response

In addition to these great new features, Samsung also expanded Bixby’s on-device AI support. Users can run key commands entirely offline, such as setting a timer, taking a screenshot or turning on the flashlight. By integrating on-device AI with its native applications, Samsung was able to further expand its language offering[1] and capabilities with advanced AI-based voice dictation. These updates to Bixby will be made possible by the powerful innovation found in Samsung Galaxy devices, including the industry-leading performance that enables on-device AI applications.

Availability

Bixby updates will be available for Samsung Galaxy users in February[2] through a software update. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com/global/galaxy/apps/bixby.

Samsung proudly supports Busan’s bid for the World Expo 2030.

^{[1] Bixby Text Call is available on selective models including Galaxy S23, S23+, S23 Ultra, Z Fold4 and Z Flip4. It works on phones with One UI 4.1.1 or above for Korean and phones with One UI 5.1 or above for English.}

^{[2] Bixby Custom Voice Creator is available on selective models including Galaxy S23, S23+ and S23 Ultra. It works on phones with One UI 5.0 or above. Availability of functions may vary depending on the device model. The application is available for download via settings within Bixby or the Samsung Phone application (native call app).}

^{[3] The feature is available in Korean as of date and on selective models including Galaxy S23, S23+ and S23 Ultra. Exact timing and availability of the updates may vary by market and are subject to change.}

^{[4] The eight scenarios are all currently available in Korean. More languages to be supported.}

^{[5] Supported music applications include Melon, Bugs, Genie and FLO as of date.}

^{[6] The on-device mode currently supports English, Spanish, French, Italian, German and Korean.}

^{[7]Exact timing and availability of the updates may vary by user and market.}

Tablets have showcased their flexibility recently as many people navigate between marathon video streaming sessions and video calls with the family and office. With more people working from home, devices such as the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite make a meaningful difference. Moving between rooms is also effortless as the device becomes the perfect middle-ground for content consumption and communication. And with the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite – a whole lot more.

“We understand how life has evolved as our work becomes more flexible and blends with time spent at home. Consumers need a versatile device that can integrate seamlessly into their everyday lifestyle, wherever they are,” said Justin Hume, Director: Intergrated Mobility at Samsung South Africa. “The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite and the new S Pen are packed with the latest technology to help people stay organised, multitask and capture ideas effortlessly, allowing them to spend time on what matters most to them.”

Create More and Stress Less With the Redesigned S Pen

Whether you are using your tablet for work, study, or just during downtime at home, the updated S Pen is the perfect notetaking and multitasking assistant. Thse new S Pen has a refreshed design that makes it as practical and comfortable to use as a traditional pen. Weighing only 7.03g, the S Pen is light and easy-to-use, and its improved pen latency and 0.7mm pen tip deliver greater precision for notetaking and drawing. When you’re finished capturing your ideas, the S Pen snaps magnetically onto the right side of the tablet, or to the Book Cover included in the box (LTE model only), making it easy to use without the concern of misplacing it. The S Pen on the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is also battery-free, so you never have to worry about losing charge when using your S Pen.

Using the S Pen and Samsung Notes, you can transform handwritten notes into typed text instantly.1 Categorise and search your notes with ease through tags, highlight important passages and enlarge the content on the notes with the 300% zoom feature. All your notes can be easily exported as a PDF, JPEG image, text file or Microsoft Word document.

The Galaxy Experience at Home

Put the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite at the heart of your home to stay productive and organised. You can take calls and send and receive text messages through your Samsung account on your tablet, even when your smartphone is out of reach or in another room, or stay connected with friends and colleagues using Google Duo video calls on Galaxy Tab S6 Lite.7 Use the improved Daily Board display to control music, view your calendar, check the weather and write quick memos and reminders. The new Bixby features and capabilities such as Bixby Voice, Bixby Vision and Bixby Routines will also enhance your overall productivity and entertainment experiences.

Inspired Design That Won’t Weigh You Down

With a 10.4-inch screen and narrow bezels, the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite benefits from a wide and immersive display. Equipped with the latest version of One UI, optimised for the larger tablet screen, Galaxy Tab S6 Lite has a more intuitive visual interface and simplified navigation tools, making switching between multiple applications smooth and effortless so that you can focus on the task at hand.

Available in three beautiful colours,2 Oxford Gray, Angora Blue and Chiffon Pink, with a matching S Pen and book cover included, the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is a stylish accessory as well as a powerful productivity device.

Enhanced Entertainment Features

The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is packed with clever, helpful and entertaining features that make listening to music, streaming content, shopping online or connecting with friends easier and more enjoyable. The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite includes dual speakers with sound by AKG and Dolby Atmos 3D surround sound for outstanding immersive audio, so whether you’re watching a YouTube video, streaming your favourite show or listening to a great playlist, you’ll experience premium quality sound. Samsung has partnered with YouTube and Spotify so you can get even more out of your favourite apps on the Galaxy range. Galaxy Tab S6 Lite users can enjoy ad-free YouTube videos, the ability to download and watch videos offline and free access to YouTube Music and YouTube Kids with YouTube Premium for 4 months.3 Spotify seamlessly integrates into the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite’s user interface, so you can easily search for music and podcasts, or even set your favourite song as your alarm.4 The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite can also wirelessly connect to your home speaker5 setup, so you can play your favourite playlists from Spotify on another device or speaker around your home, all controlled by your tablet.

Ultimately, the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is a device that can be used by the entire family. With Samsung Kids,8 you can set daily playtime allowances, restrict access to certain apps and introduce your kids to the digital world safely with a range of exciting, colourful learning apps and games.

For more information about the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, visit news.samsung.com/za  and samsung.com/za/mobile .

Product Specifications

* All features may differ by market and mobile operator.
**All specifications and descriptions provided herein may be different from the actual specifications and descriptions of the product. Samsung reserves the right to make changes to this web page and the contents herein, including without limitation, functionality, features, specifications, GUI, images, videos, benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, capabilities, and any other product information, without notice.

1 Text export function supported on Samsung Notes app, feature availability may vary by language.
2 Availability of colours may vary by market.
3 YouTube Premium is only available in select markets. Only new subscribers to YouTube Premium are eligible for this offer.
4 Devices should be registered with Spotify Connect at the first use.
5 The speakers need to support Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection.
6 Call and text on other devices availability varies by country and service provider.
7 Google Duo supports video calling with up to twelve other users.
8 The availability of Samsung Kids may vary by country, device, and features. Please refer to more information at the website, https://www.samsung.com/kids.
9 Screen measured diagonally as a full rectangle without accounting for the rounded corners.
10 Typical value tested under third-party laboratory condition. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Rated (minimum) capacity is 7,040 mAh.
11 These accessories are available to purchase separately.

Currently available in U.S. English and Korean¹, Bixby brings enhanced smartphone productivity and personalisation through Quick Commands. This feature allows you to easily create a custom voice command to use in place of a sequence of one or more commands. For example, you can use the command “good night” as a shortcut for “Turn on Do-not-disturb mode, set an alarm for 6:00 AM and turn on blue light filter.”

Bixby also understands the way you actually speak, ask questions and make requests. For example, if you take a photo and then tell Bixby to “send the picture just taken to Mom,” Bixby understands cross-application commands and will know which photo you are referring to and will text it to your mom. This natural language understanding makes interacting with your smartphone easier and more intuitive. With its iterative deep learning technology, Bixby will improve over time to recognise your personal preferences and manner of speaking.

Bixby is unique in that it is an intelligent interface, rather than a stand-alone app. When an application becomes Bixby-enabled, Bixby will support almost every task that the application is capable of performing using voice, touch or text. Bixby’s deep integration is also built into the smartphone settings so that you can change phone options – such as setting the screen timeout or showing all notifications – without interrupting what you are currently doing.

“Now millions of customers worldwide have access to a new and intelligent way of interacting with their phone,” said Justin Hume, Chief Marketing Officer at Samsung South Africa. “The expansion of Bixby’s voice capabilities is an initial step in the continued rollout of its functionality. In the future, Bixby will have the learning power to offer more intelligent and personalized interactions and seamless connections across more devices.”

Samsung plans to continue expanding Bixby’s voice capabilities to additional countries, languages, devices, features and third-party applications. By further enhancing its mobile experience and solutions offerings, even more users can interact with their device and manage their apps and services more seamlessly and instinctively.

Starting today, Galaxy S8 and S8+² users can enable Bixby’s voice capabilities by pressing the Bixby button to begin onboarding. You can now activate Bixby by holding the dedicated button on the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ phones, or by simply saying, “Hi, Bixby.”

For more information on how to get more done with your day with Bixby, please visit: https://news.samsung.com/global/how-to-get-more-done-in-your-day-with-bixby

¹Voice command recognizes English (US) and Korean. Not all accents, dialects and expressions may be recognized. Service ability may vary by country or carrier. Natural language understanding allows Bixby to continuously improve its ability to interpret regional dialects. But, since Bixby learns more frequently used command terms more quickly, it will take more time for Bixby to fully understand regional dialects that are used less frequently. 

²Bixby is currently available on select devices, including the Galaxy S8 and S8+.

³Service availabilities and third party partners are varied in each country.

Bixby’s advanced voice capabilities¹ allow you to effortlessly manage your phone and your connected life using simple, natural commands. The voice support is fully integrated into your phone’s native apps, settings, and a growing list of third-party apps, placing your phone’s most convenient and powerful features at your beck and call. So whether you’d like help taking a selfie, organizing photos from your last vacation, tracking down a particular setting, or keeping your friends updated on social media, simply tell Bixby what you need and it will work with you to get things done faster and easier.

Here are just a few examples of how Bixby’s voice support can help you get more done in your day.

Snap a Selfie with Bixby and Share It with Your Friends and Followers

Bixby is an expert multitasker, capable of seamlessly navigating your phone’s menus and apps.

Bixby is built right into your phone’s camera, allowing you to take full advantage of your camera’s advanced features with simple spoken requests, and creating an easy way to share snapshots of your day.

For instance, you can tell Bixby to “Take a selfie” and use Bixby to edit and enhance your image and share it with friends on social media.

Simplify Your Bixby Conversations with Quick Commands

You don’t need to be formal or oversimplify requests when talking to Bixby. The interface’s understanding of natural language allows you to speak to your phone as you would a friend.

Bixby’s Quick Commands make interacting with the interface even more effortless by allowing you to replace long or complex requests with convenient keywords. For example, you can substitute a common command, such as “Turn my alarm on for 6:00 a.m.,” with a short and simple alternative, such as “Set alarm.”

To add a Quick Command, head to Bixby Home’s “My Bixby” menu.

Manage Apps and Settings with Ease

Bixby’s voice capability allows you to navigate your phone and go-to apps hands-free, without sacrificing access to settings or functions. Rather than manually searching for a particular feature, you can use Bixby to bypass menus and instantly locate the function you need.

Voice support is particularly useful when attempting to access functions that are buried beneath multiple menu screens. For example, with voice support, if you were to look up a recipe on your phone, you could ask Bixby to “Set screen timeout to 10 minutes” so you could roll up your sleeves and focus on cooking without needing to constantly wake up your device.

Bixby’s always there to help. Simply saying the word will allow you to streamline everyday tasks, including everything from clearing notifications and changing a wallpaper or ringtone, to activating commonly used features such as “Do not disturb” mode.

Enjoy a Smarter Driving Experience

Bixby’s ability to respond to voice commands also makes it a terrific co-pilot for road trips and daily commutes, allowing you to easily access key apps and functions while keeping your eyes on the road.

When you’re behind the wheel and you make a request, Bixby will ask you to unlock your phone with a custom voice password2 in order to carry out your command.

To set your unique voice password, simply locate the function under Bixby’s settings and follow the on-screen instructions. After you select a secure word or phrase, Bixby will ask you to read out a few sample sentences in order to get to know your distinct voice. Once finished, the next time you activate Bixby, you’ll be able to unlock your device using your chosen word or phrase.

When you need a little help getting where you’re going, ask Bixby to pull up your destination in your favorite navigation app. The interface’s voice support and app integration make it easy to find the fastest route to wherever you’re headed.

Bixby’s voice support allows drivers to handle complicated tasks hands-free, and even makes it possible to read and dictate responses to texts with messaging apps.

But how exactly does Bixby work and how can you ensure that you’re getting the most out of it? Here are some common questions and answers to help you get better acquainted with the intuitive interface.

Q. How did Bixby get its name?

We decided to call our new interface Bixby because we found the name to be playful, smart and gender neutral; perfect for someone who is bold and in the know.

Q. How do I activate Bixby Voice?

You can activate Bixby by saying “Hi, Bixby,” or by either pressing or holding its dedicated button (located under the volume controls of your compatible device) and dictating your request.¹

Q. Does Bixby get smarter the more I use it?

Yes, it does. Thanks to Bixby’s iterative deep learning technology, the more you use the interface, the smarter it gets.

For example, whenever you’re not satisfied with its response, Bixby will work with you to learn how to better serve your needs. Each time Bixby responds to a command, it presents you with the option to “Teach me” – to select a more appropriate response from a list of similar commands. The next time you make that request, Bixby will remember exactly what you wanted it to do.

Q. What can I do to make sure that Bixby Voice hears me clearly?

Bixby is optimized to detect voice commands when users are 15 to 20 centimeters (5.9 to 7.9 inches) away from their device. If you’re too close or too far, it can affect the voice recognition technology’s accuracy. For best results, speak clearly and at a volume comparable to normal conversation levels.

Q. Do I need to be in a quiet area in order for Bixby Voice to hear me?

Bixby works best in environments where your voice may be clearly heard. That being said, Bixby’s deep learning technology allows the interface to distinguish your voice commands from ambient noise, even when you’re listening to music, by carefully analyzing sound frequencies.

When in particularly loud environments, you can activate Bixby Voice using your earphones’ play/pause button and microphone.

 Q. What languages and dialects does Bixby understand?

Bixby Voice is currently available in Korea and the U.S., and supports commands in Korean and U.S. English. Users in the U.S. and Korea can switch between Korean and English by adjusting Bixby’s language settings.

Bixby’s understanding of natural language is what allows it to learn dialects. We’ve taught Bixby various dialects’ distinct intonations, vocabulary and grammatical structures and we’re currently working on providing support for more.

Q. What are Quick Commands?

Bixby’s Quick Commands allow you to issue multi-step, complicated requests with convenient keywords.

With Quick Commands, users can replace a long request, such as “Track my run using the Samsung Health app,” with a short, simple command, such as “Run.” These shortcuts allow you to interact more seamlessly with your phone. Quick Commands may be accessed under Bixby Home’s “My Bixby” menu.

Q. Will using Bixby eat up my mobile data and is it possible to use it overseas?

Bixby only utilizes your mobile data when listening to a command, not before or after. As a result, the length of the command ultimately determines the amount of mobile data used.

If Bixby Voice is activated and you’re using a licensed SIM card, it’s possible to use the interface even when you’re overseas.²
Actual range of use may vary depending on the apps you’re using.

 Q. What is Bixby Vision and how does it work?

Bixby Vision was designed to provide you with a deeper understanding of what you’re looking at, allowing you to use your camera to easily scan and search for relevant information on the objects and places around you.

Bixby Vision offers information on everything from purchasing options for a particular product to details on your current location and even the bottle of wine you’re enjoying. It is also capable of scanning business cards and performing convenient translations.

After scanning an object, users can use Bixby Vision’s image search³
function to locate it online. Once Bixby has identified the object, it will automatically pull up related images on Pinterest.⁴

Bixby Vision works best in bright environments and when you hold your camera steady. The screen should not be upside down and if the object in focus is a product, it should be captured from the front to aid identification.

Q. Who are some of Bixby Vision’s current retail partners?

We’ve forged partnerships with popular online shopping platforms in each region to allow consumers to enjoy a much more convenient shopping experience with Bixby. These partners include Amazon in North America, Japan and several major markets across Europe, as well as Taobao in China and Samsung Pay Shopping in Korea.

Q. What languages can Bixby Vision translate?

Bixby Vision’s advanced OCR (object character recognition) technology allows it to scan and recognize a total of 40 languages. These languages can then be interpreted into 104 different dialects via Google’s powerful translation database.⁴

Q. How is Reminder different from my device’s clock or calendar app?

Reminder lets users do much more than simply log an appointment or create an alarm.

The function utilizes Bixby’s voice support and contextual awareness to allow users to set smart reminders for specified times, places or circumstances.

Reminder is also integrated into other apps. You can use Reminder to save webpage URLs in the Samsung Internet app, as well as messages that you’d like to get back to later in the Messages app. You can also pin reminders to your device’s Always On Display to make them visible at all times and access your collected reminders via your device’s edge panel.

Q. What is Bixby Home and how does it cater to users’ individual needs?

Bixby Home serves as a gateway to Bixby’s various functions and presents your most contextually relevant apps and services on a single screen, so the content you care about is just a swipe away.

Bixby learns your routine and serves up the information you need when you need it. It looks for patterns in your app usage to predict what you might be looking for and when you’re most likely to look for it. The more you use your smartphone, the more relevant Bixby’s content suggestions will become.

Bixby Home will automatically populate based on your actions, but you can also customize the experience to best suit your needs. You also have the options to pin your favorite cards to the top of your Home page for easy reference and hide any cards that you no longer wish to see.

Q. Is my personal data safe with Bixby?

Bixby stores users’ personal data in accordance with stringent security procedures.

Users may choose to delete data that Bixby saves from Bixby’s settings at any time. Bixby only collects data necessary to improve or personalize your experience and ensures that your personal information is never transmitted.

¹Voice wake-up must be activated in order to use this feature

²Language support is currently limited to Korean and U.S. English and the user’s device must be Bixby-compatible. App and service compatibility may vary.

³Image searching is currently unavailable in Cuba, Iran, Syria and Sudan

⁴In China, image searches and translation function are both conducted with Baidu