What you need to know
- Samsung has accidentally confirmed that a much more capable, Perplexity-powered Bixby is coming with One UI 8.5.
- The upgraded Bixby will work as a conversational assistant that understands intent, not just exact voice commands.
- With Perplexity integration, Bixby will be able to perform real-time web searches and show results directly.
- The new Bixby is expected to launch with One UI 8.5, likely alongside the Galaxy S26 series next month.
Samsung may have accidentally confirmed that a much more powerful version of Bixby is coming with One UI 8.5, and it looks like it will be powered by Perplexity for answering complex questions.
Until now, Samsung has largely relied on Google Gemini for its Galaxy AI features and as the primary assistant on its flagship phones. While Bixby has continued to exist alongside it, Samsung has never really given it a meaningful upgrade, leaving it feeling more like a basic smart assistant. That appears to be changing with One UI 8.5.
Samsung briefly published an announcement confirming that Bixby will be upgraded into a conversational device agent that uses Perplexity to handle more complex queries. The announcement was quickly taken down, but not before it was spotted by Droid Life.
In the now-deleted press release, Samsung said that the “new Bixby” will arrive with One UI 8.5. While earlier One UI 8.5 builds had already hinted at these changes, this marks the first time Samsung has officially (albeit accidentally) acknowledged the upgrade.
What Samsung accidentally revealed about the new Bixby
According to the announcement, the revamped Bixby will let users control and navigate Galaxy devices using natural language, without needing to issue precise commands. It’ll understand user intent and carry out actions accordingly, making interactions feel more natural.
For example, Samsung notes that users will be able to ask questions like, “Why is my phone screen always on when it is inside my pocket?” and Bixby will use the context and surface relevant settings, such as Accidental Touch Protection, and allow users to enable it.
Bixby will also tap into real-time web search through Perplexity. This will allow it to pull in up-to-date information and surface results directly within the Bixby interface. For example, Samsung says users will be able to ask something like, “Find me hotels in Seoul that have swimming pools for kids,” and Bixby will handle the search and show results instantly.
Samsung also noted that the upgraded Bixby will be available in “select markets” with One UI 8.5, though it did not specify which ones. The feature is not live yet and is expected to roll out alongside One UI 8.5, which will likely debut with the Galaxy S26 series next month.
