Samsung introduced Bixby alongside the Galaxy S8 and S8+ in 2017. It has since developed into a powerful digital assistant, and so has the Bixby key on Samsung's flagship smartphones. The Galaxy S10 series, in particular, introduced the all-new ability to customize the dedicated key.
Evolution of the Bixby key
Earlier, a single press of the Bixby key would open Bixby Home, while a long press would pull up Bixby Voice. But now, Samsung is presenting you with one more option, the ability to launch Bixby Home with a double press of the key. This new ability minimizes the possibility of Bixby opening up due to accidental pressing of the key while in the middle of a task, as users are not likely to press the Bixby key twice by mistake.
You can also remap either a single or double press of the Bixby key to open any third-party app you like. The ability was first enabled on the Galaxy S10, and is now available on Samsung's older flagships as well.
Another useful function of the Bixby key is the Bixby dictation feature. This feature comes really handy when typing long messages, or when your fingers are wet. Simply open the keyboard, press and hold the Bixby key, and start dictating your message. Bixby will have your message typed for you. As simple as that.
The decision to offer this ability is in pursuit of prioritizing convenience to users, said Eui-Suk Chung, Executive Vice President and Head of Software and Artificial Intelligence at Samsung. “Our top priority is to offer our consumers the best possible experiences,” he said. Samsung will continue to evolve Bixby in the same way.
Many would have appreciated if Samsung had offered this from the start. It constantly got flak for now allowing users to remap the dedicated key and even prevented third-party apps from doing so. No wonder so many people wanted to know how they could disable Bixby altogether.
