Samsung’s Bixby Assistant Could Support 8 Languages

Last October, Samsung acquired Viv Labs, an artificial intelligence startup founded by the creators of Apple’s Siri, signaling that the company also wanted a piece of the new voice assistant market. This week we are starting to the first returns on its investment with reports indicating Samsung’s new Galaxy S8 smart phone will be integrated with its very own voice assistant, Bixby. And it might be able to speak 8 languages.  This could be a selling point for Samsung, as the Google Assistant only speaks 5. Apple’s Siri does support 30 languages, but Samsung is looking to use Bixby for more than just phones.

The company allegedly plans to implant its voice assistant in its other prodcuts, like home appliances and televisions. It will also serve as remote control for compatible home devices. These reports indicate that Bixby will play a much bigger role in the Samsung ecosystem in the future, a smart move by Samsung. Unlike the other players in the space, Samsung already has a built-in network of devices it can integrate with Bixby, and therefore, a ready made audience. By developing its own virtual assistant, Samsung has the option to control its own destiny.