Bixby on Galaxy smartphones might soon be able to compete with Gemini by providing more intelligent responses.

      Samsung is currently testing an upgrade for its voice assistant powered by Perplexity.

      While Google’s Gemini may have overshadowed Bixby on the latest Galaxy smartphones, Samsung remains committed to its voice assistant. The company seems to have teamed up with Perplexity to enhance Bixby’s responses, providing users with a more capable alternative to Gemini.

      We first learned about this collaboration in July, when reports indicated that Samsung was looking into partnerships with companies like Perplexity and OpenAI to introduce more AI functionalities to Galaxy devices. During that time, a Samsung executive confirmed the company’s intentions but did not elaborate on how these partnerships would directly benefit users.

      A more recent leak indicated that Samsung intends to incorporate Perplexity's features into Bixby with the Galaxy S26 series, enabling it to handle more complex inquiries. Although the company has not made any official announcements yet, it has reportedly begun testing this integration within the latest One UI 8.5 beta for the Galaxy S25 series.

      According to recent updates from X user Ach, Bixby has received a visual refresh in One UI 8.5, and the voice assistant can now utilize Perplexity’s intelligence to respond to intricate questions. Screenshots showing this update clearly indicate Perplexity as the source at the bottom of Bixby’s replies.

      Bixby is preparing for a resurgence

      The Perplexity integration seems to be live for beta testers in Europe using version 4.0.50.4 of the Bixby app, although it is not yet widely accessible. Samsung is expected to introduce this change with the Galaxy S26 series early next year, and it will likely also be available for older devices via the One UI 8.5 update.

      If the integration launches as planned, it could signify a significant revival for Bixby after years of being overshadowed by Google Assistant and Gemini on Galaxy smartphones. Leveraging Perplexity’s AI models would enable Samsung to keep Bixby relevant on its devices, providing users with another strong alternative to Gemini.

      Pranob is an experienced tech journalist with more than eight years of experience in consumer technology reporting.

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