Bixby has spent a long time playing catch-up to assistants powered by Gemini and GPT. With the One UI 8.5 Beta, Samsung Bixby is not just patching holes; it’s entering the same arena with conversational AI and real-time web search.

For the first time, it feels like Samsung is serious about making Bixby think in plain human terms.

Samsung has rebuilt Bixby in its One UI 8.5 refresh around natural language understanding. Now, Galaxy users no longer need to memorize menu names or dig through settings; just describe what you want.

If you ask, “Why is my phone screen always on when it’s inside my pocket?” Bixby checks context and surfaces relevant settings like Accidental Touch Protection. Instead of generic advice, it brings you straight to the toggle.

Bixby with Device Control

Real-time web search inside Bixby

Bixby can now pull live information from the open web and display results directly within its own interface. Ask it, “Find me hotels in Seoul that have swimming pools for kids.”

Bixby processes the request and shows relevant results in-app. It feels cohesive, part of the system rather than a gateway to another app. For users who live inside Samsung’s ecosystem, this integration is key.

The experience stays contained within One UI, which is subtle but powerful. Samsung is clearly building toward a model where Bixby becomes the glue between on-device controls and online intelligence.

Real-time web search in Bixby

Samsung needed Bixby to stop feeling like a legacy assistant and start behaving like a modern AI layer across One UI. This is that reset moment; it isn’t perfect yet, but it finally feels like Bixby is catching up rather than standing still.

The new Bixby beta arrives as part of One UI 8.5 in select markets: Germany, India, Korea, Poland, the UK, and the US. The company says broader expansion is planned, though exact timelines remain under wraps.

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Samsung has released the One UI 8.5 Beta 5 update for the Galaxy S25 series. With this update, the company has also introduced a new version of the Samsung Bixby app for One UI 8.5 users.

Last month, Samsung shared a newsroom post about upgrading Bixby with Perplexity AI. However, the company later removed that post, and many people were unsure about the plan. Now, with the Beta 5 update, a new version of the Bixby app has appeared. This suggests that Samsung may have delayed the announcement to release it with the new beta release.

The official changelog of the update does not details about new Bixby app. However, the update brings several new features and improvements to the assistant. Let’s explore them in detail.

Upgraded Samsung Bixby App

Samsung has not officially mentioned Perplexity anywhere in the update notes or even in the app, but its references have been spotted within the app. There is now a Perplexity icon appeared in sources at the bottom-left corner of search results. This is similar to how Perplexity shows references for information. The updated Bixby also seems to include several Perplexity features, such as research-based answers and local search results that require location access.

Image via SammyFans

Bixby now responds faster and gives more detailed answers. It can create longer and more structured content directly on the device. This means when you search for something, the results are clearer and more complete.

For example, if you ask Bixby to write a poem about the Galaxy Unpacked event 2026, it can generate a full poem with verses and proper structure. It can also provide detailed information about specific topics and pull results from certain websites more accurately.

In addition, Bixby can now perform in-app actions more smoothly. You can type commands like “Set display brightness to 30 percent” or “Change system sound to level 3,” and Bixby will quickly apply those settings. You no longer need to go into the settings menu and search for options manually. This makes using your phone easier and saves time.

With these changes, Samsung is turning Bixby into a smarter assistant that understands both your phone and the internet. While Perplexity AI may help improve its intelligence, Samsung still keeps full control of how Bixby works within its system.

Samsung has also redesigned the Bixby interface to give it a fresh and modern look in One UI 8.5. The wake-up animation has been improved and now feels smoother and cleaner.

When you wake up Bixby, you will see a pill-shaped bar at the bottom of the screen. On the left side, there is a Bixby icon, and on the right side, there is a microphone icon. The bar has a soft glowing edge. When Bixby starts listening, the border lights up with colorful animations.

With One UI 8.5, the updated Bixby’s wake-up animation is more fluid and visually appealing#Samsung #OneUI8_5 #Bixby pic.twitter.com/rUzlrZEXLF

— Sammy Fans – We Samsung! (@thesammyfans) February 19, 2026

The overall interface design of the Samsung Bixby is now more minimal, simple, and attractive compared to older versions.

Samsung has also made some changes in the settings menu. Options like Notifications, Personalized Bixby, and Customization Service have been removed. Instead, Samsung has added a new “Labs” section. This section allows users to try experimental features before they are officially released.

OLD VS NEW

The layout of the app has changed as well. On the main page of the Bixby app, you will now see a menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top-left corner. From there, you can access settings and other options. Previously, the settings option was placed in the top-right corner, but it has now been moved under the new menu.

Old vs New (Samsung Bixby app main age)

In the “Use while locked” section of Bixby Settings, Samsung has added a new feature – Call and send messages. When you turn this option on, you can make calls or send messages directly from the lock screen using your voice or the side button. If you do not want this feature, you can now easily turn it off.

Old vs New

One UI 8.5 Beta 5 update brings meaningful improvements to Bixby. The assistant is now faster, smarter, and easier to use. If you are using the One UI 8.5 Beta on your Galaxy S25 series device, you can check out these new features now.

Aside from this, the minimal changelog of the Beta 5 update shows that Samsung is moving closer to the stable One UI 8.5 release. Stay tuned.

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