The Galaxy S25 series marked the end of Bixby’s run as the default voice assistant on Samsung’s flagship phones, with Google Gemini taking over that role. Although the company brought in some Bixby-related improvements, most of them went largely unnoticed.
This, coupled with other developments, led to the belief that Samsung is winding down its Bixby efforts, but that doesn’t appear to be the case. New reporting by SamMobile has uncovered what appears to be a redesigned Bixby onscreen overlay/pop-up. We’re getting a good look at the revamp in both dark and light themes (via SammyGuru).
The updated Bixby pop-up aligns with some of the design elements highlighted by older One UI 8.5 leaks. Additionally, we’ve seen the software’s updated Quick Settings panel in action not too long ago with similar design elements. There’s also some resemblance to the Gemini onscreen overlay.
But will the updated Bixby deliver performance improvements?
While visual changes are largely welcomed, this leak doesn’t reveal whether the One UI 8.5 refresh will bring any performance upgrades to Bixby. Exclusive reporting by SammyGuru last month revealed improved Bixby (and Gemini) integration with Modes and Routines, but that’s about all we have on potential Bixby enhancements with One UI 8.5.
Bixby is generally considered decent for on-device tasks, but Google Gemini has an upper hand when it comes to handling pretty much everything else, provided you have internet access. With the Galaxy S25 series and newer models, Gemini integrates with core apps like Calendar, Reminders, and Notes, which makes the prospect of Google’s AI experience all the more enticing.
We should get a better idea about Samsung’s plans for Bixby with One UI 8.5 when the software’s first beta is released. Samsung is tight-lipped about the beta’s release date, but a recent leak suggested Galaxy device owners may get their first taste of One UI 8.5 beta by the end of November.
This should give Samsung enough time to iron out the quirks ahead of the software’s official debut with the Galaxy S26 series early next year. The existing crop of Galaxy flagships, such as the Galaxy S25 trio and the more recently launched duo of foldables, are expected to receive the stable update to One UI 8.5 shortly after.
