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Samsung's Bixby voice app finally hits Galaxy S8 devices

The long-awaited feature, which will be delivered through a software update, lets you speak to the smart sidekick to control your phone.

Shara Tibken Former managing editor
Shara Tibken was a managing editor at CNET News, overseeing a team covering tech policy, EU tech, mobile and the digital divide. She previously covered mobile as a senior reporter at CNET and also wrote for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal. Shara is a native Midwesterner who still prefers "pop" over "soda."
Shara Tibken
3 min read
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Bixby's voice capabilities are finally live in the US.

Taylor Martin/CNET

Hey Bixby, nice to finally talk to you.  

Samsung on Tuesday officially launched voice capabilities for its Bixby smart sidekick in the US, about three months after the artificial intelligence technology first became available on its new Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus phones . The company had delayed the launch and missed its own promised "later this spring" deadline, at least in the US. 

Owners of its newest phones will be able to access Bixby Voice after downloading a software update, rolling out at 9 p.m. PT. South Korean users, who've had access to Bixby Voice in the Korean language since May 1, will also be able to now access the English language capabilities. The company didn't say when Bixby Voice will be available in other countries. 

Watch this: Samsung's virtual assistant Bixby Voice is here

Bixby is Samsung's new digital voice assistant that debuted on its latest smartphones. It has its own dedicated button on the side of the device, letting you communicate with the artificial intelligence like you'd use a walkie-talkie. The only problem is the voice part of the assistant didn't actually work when the Galaxy S8 hit the market in April. What did work with Bixby was its "Vision, Home and Reminder" functions that identify objects in photos, help you track your day and remind you about upcoming events on your calendar. 

Rather than launching voice capabilities right away, Samsung said it needed more time to get Bixby ready for mainstream consumers. It has been testing it out with over 100,000 Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus users in its early access preview program. Those participants generated more than 4 million commands and helped Samsung refine Bixby's capabilities. 

One benefit includes "increased comprehension on command variations." You can, for instance, ask what the weather is like by saying "Show me today's weather," "What's the weather like today?" or "What's the forecast today?" Samsung says it has improved Bixby's response times, increased hands-free operations and included a new "read aloud feature." You can ask it to read the latest email you've received. 

Samsung also has worked to make Bixby interact better with third-party apps. If you're using Google Maps , you can use Bixby to change the location of your origin or destination. 

Bixby is the latest entrant in the crowded field of digital assistants that already includes Apple's SiriAmazon's AlexaGoogle Assistant and Microsoft's Cortana. Every tech heavyweight is investing in these assistants because they're heralded as the future of how we'll interact with our gadgets . The hope is to build a relationship with you now and ultimately get you to buy more of their products later.

Samsung's going about AI differently than its rivals, though. Its primary target with Bixby is helping you control your phone instead of querying the web for answers about US presidents or other topics. 

The company believes artificial intelligence is the next major wave of computing, and Bixby is the manifestation of that belief. It's not alone. Gartner reckons that by 2019, digital assistants will be the primary way consumers interact with their smart homes.

Samsung Galaxy S8, S8 Plus and Bixby pix: Come and get 'em

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