Samsung Galaxy S25 Series Switches Default Voice Assistant to Google Gemini: Bixby's Role Shifts

Samsung Galaxy S25 Series Switches Default Voice Assistant to Google Gemini: Bixby's Role ShiftsSamsung Electronics has made a significant change in its latest flagship phones, the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, and Galaxy S25 Ultra: Google's Gemini AI is now the default voice assistant. This move marks a major shift in Samsung's long-standing commitment to its in-house voice assistant, Bixby, and signals a further evolution in the voice assistant market landscape

Samsung Galaxy S25 Series Switches Default Voice Assistant to Google Gemini: Bixby's Role Shifts

Samsung Electronics has made a significant change in its latest flagship phones, the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, and Galaxy S25 Ultra: Google's Gemini AI is now the default voice assistant. This move marks a major shift in Samsung's long-standing commitment to its in-house voice assistant, Bixby, and signals a further evolution in the voice assistant market landscape.

Previously, Samsung staunchly championed Bixby, even refusing to include a dedicated button for Google Assistant on its phones and not allowing it to be set as the default. However, with the rapid advancement of AI technology and the widespread adoption of Google Assistant and other voice assistants, Samsung has ultimately embraced change. On international versions of the Galaxy S25 series, long-pressing the side (power) button now directly activates Google Gemini, instead of Bixby or the power menu. This change establishes Gemini as the default voice assistant for the Galaxy S25 series, handling the majority of voice interactions.

Despite this, Bixby hasn't been entirely abandoned. It remains pre-installed on the Galaxy S25 series, and users can still access it by manually opening the application. However, Bixby is no longer the default, its role shifting from primary voice interaction tool to a supporting one. Notably, the updated Bixby incorporates improvements, such as context awareness. Upon first launching Bixby, users are prompted about this feature and how it better understands and responds to subsequent commands by remembering previous dialogue and context. For example, a user could ask Bixby about their schedule for the next day and then ask to add a new calendar event; Bixby would remember the previous conversation and add the new event to the next day's schedule. This contextual memory significantly enhances Bixby's interaction experience and efficiency.

Samsung has also deeply integrated Gemini with some of its native applications, including Samsung Calendar, Samsung Notes, and Samsung Reminders. Users can leverage Gemini to find information or locations and add the results to Samsung Notes; add or delete alarms, start or stop stopwatches or timers in the native clock app via voice commands; and create or delete reminders in the Samsung Reminders app. This deep integration allows users to accomplish various tasks more conveniently with Gemini, further boosting efficiency.

Months ago, Samsung launched a new generation of Bixby in the Chinese market, powered by Large Language Models (LLMs) and featuring enhanced capabilities, including context awareness and multi-app integration. However, these features haven't been widely rolled out internationally, contradicting earlier predictions that Samsung would release the new Bixby alongside the Galaxy S25 launch and One UI 7.0.

Regarding Bixby and Gemini usage on the Galaxy S25, Samsung explained to some media outlets that both can be activated depending on the context and user instructions. For example, searching for restaurants would activate Gemini, while adding calendar events involving native Samsung apps would trigger Bixby. However, real-world usage seems to differ from Samsung's explanation. To use Bixby, users seemingly must manually launch it from the app drawer or change the default side button setting back to Bixby. This means that despite Samsung's claims, Bixby has a relatively high barrier to entry, requiring active user selection.

Underlying Samsung's move is a keen awareness of market trends and strategic adaptation. Google Gemini, as a powerful AI voice assistant with strong search capabilities and a vast application ecosystem, enhances the user experience and competitiveness of the Galaxy S25 series as the default. The retention of Bixby reflects Samsung's cautious approach to preserving its own ecosystem.

In conclusion, the change in the default voice assistant for the Samsung Galaxy S25 series represents a strategic adjustment in Samsung's voice assistant strategy. While Bixby remains, with functional improvements, its role in the Galaxy S25 series has fundamentally changed. Gemini, as the default, handles most voice interactions and is deeply integrated with some native Samsung apps, significantly improving the user experience. Bixby takes a backseat, becoming a supplementary tool, its future development worthy of further observation. This shift highlights the increasingly fierce competition in the voice assistant market and the continuous adjustments and strategic maneuvering of manufacturers. Samsung's move will undoubtedly have a profound impact on the entire Android ecosystem and the voice assistant market.