14 DAY TRIAL // Samsung has just announced that the SmartThings Find ecosystem is getting new capabilities, including Bixby integration for hands-free searches.
In other words, if you’re trying to search for a specific device, you no longer have to touch your phone, as interacting with Bixby is all it takes to determine the location.
“Users will now be able to use Bixby for convenient hands-free, voice-activated Galaxy SmartTag searches. Users can easily and quickly find their belongings by calling out the SmartTag’s name to Bixby; for instance, if the user asks “Hi Bixby, where’s my bike?” Bixby will immediately find and share its exact location by ringing it,” Samsung explains.
At this point, Samsung has only announced Bixby integration, so no other assistant is currently able to interact with SmartTags.
Launching next week
Then, Samsung is also adding a privacy feature that sounds odd at first but which makes a lot more sense when you understand how it works.
The company explains that if someone is trying to track your location with a Galaxy SmartTag, there’s now a new feature that will alert you about it, as it can determine if such a device is moving at the same time with you.
“In addition, the new Unknown Tag Search feature can detect a Galaxy SmartTag that doesn’t belong to you is moving along with you. With the press of a start button, Unknown Tag Search will scan for unknown SmartTags and provide a list to ensure nobody is secretly tracking your location. As a reminder, all SmartThings Find user data is encrypted and securely protected through a randomized private ID, which changes every 15 minutes, ensuring that the device’s location is not revealed to anyone except its owner,” Samsung says.
The new features are projected to go live next week in select markets.