14 DAY TRIAL // Samsung’s unveiling event for the Galaxy S8 draws near, although we’re still more than two months away from the official announcement. Information about the upcoming device surfaces on a daily basis, with the latest report revealing some features of the virtual assistant Bixby.
Samsung will incorporate a virtual assistant on the upcoming Galaxy S8 flagship, one that would reportedly allow users to conduct visual searches using the camera, according to SamMobile. Bixby will include visual search and an OCR tool on the upcoming flagship.
The standard camera app will have its own Bixby button for searching and processing elements that users point at. The virtual assistant will analyze the picture in order to identify objects and text. Bixby will incorporate tools for helping users find and even buy identified objects.
Aside from this, it will include a feature for processing payments as well. Some of Bixby’s features do resemble tools found on Google’s Goggles app, but Samsung will surely provide extended functionality in its virtual assistant.
Samsung is working on other new services as well
Bixby is set to launch on the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus, both with dual-edge curved displays. Supposedly, Samsung won’t keep Bixby as an exclusive feature on the new phones in the Galaxy S series, as the virtual assistant might also be made available on a new Galaxy Note phone later this year or some of the company’s mid-range devices.
Aside from Bixby, recent reports have shown that Samsung plans to introduce two new services, including Shopping and a slimmed-down version of Samsung Pay. Bixby will compete against other virtual assistants on the market, like Google Assistant, Siri and Amazon’s Alexa, which was featured on a number of devices presented at CES 2017.
Nonetheless, Samsung will present the complete list of features that Bixby incorporates during the Galaxy S8 unveiling, supposedly set for March 29. The Galaxy S8 will start hitting shelves sometime in late April.