One UI 9 Revolution: Samsung’s New Way to Control Bixby Explained
Samsung’s One UI 9 Might Finally Make Talking to Bixby Less Awkward
Believe it or not, Bixby is still kicking. Despite the rise of more advanced AI assistants, Samsung isn’t ready to let its homegrown digital helper fade into the sunset just yet. In fact, according to recent leaks regarding the upcoming One UI 9 (based on Android 17), Samsung is introducing a much more intuitive way to get Bixby’s attention without saying a word.
Introducing “Gesture Wake-up”
If you’ve ever felt a bit silly shouting “Hi Bixby” in a crowded room, this update is for you. The new feature, reportedly dubbed Gesture Wake-up, allows you to trigger the assistant simply by picking up your phone and bringing it toward your face. It mimics the motion of taking a phone call, making the interaction feel significantly more natural and discreet than previous methods.
With this addition, Samsung users will have three distinct ways to wake their assistant:
- The classic “Hi Bixby” or “Bixby” hotword
- Holding down the power button
- The new motion-based Gesture Wake-up
The real test for this feature will be its precision. For it to be a true productivity boost, Samsung needs to ensure it doesn’t accidentally trigger every time you check a notification, while remaining responsive enough to work on the first try when you actually need it.
When Can You Get It?
We expect One UI 9 to make its official debut around July, likely launching alongside the next generation of foldables—the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8. Once the new flagship hardware is out in the wild, Samsung will begin rolling out the software update to its extensive list of supported Galaxy devices over the following months.
It’s clear Samsung is still betting on Bixby as a core part of the Galaxy ecosystem. Whether this new gesture is enough to win over users who have migrated to other assistants remains to be seen, but it’s a welcome step toward making voice commands feel less like a chore and more like a seamless part of the user experience.