Samsung teaches Bixby about the art of subtlety in its latest update

Samsung users are being treated to a handy update to the Bixby virtual assistant that should make it quicker to get started and improve how the virtual assistant behaves.

Spotted by SamMobile, the new quality-of-life improvements change how voice queries are handled. Instead of filling up the entire screen, the result will only take up as much space as necessary in a new compact design. This is similar to how Google Assistant behaves when it shows results cards.

Additionally, results will only stay on screen for 15 seconds by default before disappearing.

Bixby users are also getting personalized recommendations from the conversations screen, which Samsung says will help users “try out new things.” You can enable the new “Personalized Bixby” in the settings, and it will learn your preferences over time to provide better recommendations.

The update is also simplifying the setup process. When setting up the Bixby wake-up phrase, users no longer have to train the assistant to recognize their voice if they don’t want to. Samsung also highlights its simplified Spotify authentication, and users can get started just by saying “Play Spotify.”

Finally, the update allows users to add Quick Commands to their home screen for quick and easy access, letting them circumvent Bixby to enable certain tasks.

The new Bixby updates should be available on the best Samsung phones. You can update Bixby through the Galaxy Store or by visiting Bixby Voice settings > About Bixby Voice > Update. Of course, if you’re rather not deal with Samsung’s virtual assistant at all, you can always completely disable Bixby.