Samsung has confirmed that it is launching Bixby and it will be making its debut on the Samsung Galaxy S8.

Samsung describes Bixby as a solution to a very modern problem, where devices are getting so complicated that users can't operate them. Bixby is designed to address this pain, making it easy for someone to use a Samsung device.

Samsung says that Bixby will be proficient in a number of different areas to help it assist you when using your device, but also admits that this will be a new way of interacting and that it will take time to transition from the existing approach to the new Bixby method.

Laying weight to the claim of proficiency, Samsung says that Bibxy is a complete solution and that it won't just be about launching an app, it will enable you to do just about everything that the app offers through touch. Bixby will also support both touch and voice interaction interchangeably.

We've already seen this sort of voice interaction demonstrated on Samsung's 2017 televisions, although at the time there was no confirmation that it was Bixby running the show.

Bixby will also be context aware. This is a card that Google plays with Google Assistant enabling a conversational interaction. That means that rather than losing your progress and starting again, Bixby can follow the context of what you're doing and take the appropriate steps. 

Finally, Bixby is going to leverage natural language recognition so that you're not constrained by using particular terms to get the result you want. Samsung says that Bixby will be able to interpret the information and take the best action, returning for more information if needed.

Bixby confirmed for Samsung Galaxy S8

In a slightly unusual move, Samsung has completely confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy S8 will have Bixby and a dedicated button for the service. Usually companies are tight-lipped about forthcoming launches, but not so with Samsung and Bixby. 

The company goes as far as to say that you'll be able to speed up processes using the Bixby button. Rather than having to unlock your phone and find a contact to place a call, you'll be able to do it all through Bixby much faster. 

It's not just about phones however: Samsung is aiming for Bixby to be a brand-wide application, so you'll be able to use it for your TV or your airconditioning for example. 

In many ways, Bixby is being positioned as a rival to Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant, looking to span a wide-range of applications. A number of apps on the SGS8 will be fully Bixby compatible, with plans to launch an SDK for future assimilation. 

It's certainly exciting news, both giving confirmation of the Galaxy S8, but also that there's a new smart AI platform that's going to span these devices. Samsung says that "Bixby is at the heart of our software and services evolution as a company", so you can expect to hear a lot more about it in the coming weeks and months.