Samsung is rolling out One UI 8.5 Beta 5 with major upgrades to its Bixby voice assistant, bringing natural conversation capabilities and real-time online searches to Galaxy S25 users. The update, which began deploying on February 19, introduces intuitive device control that lets users interact with their phones without needing to know specific settings or technical terms.

Bixby's new AI features aim to reduce friction in everyday tasks by understanding user intent and taking appropriate actions. The assistant can now analyze current device settings and offer impactful solutions rather than generic responses. Additionally, Bixby gains Perplexity-powered real-time web search capabilities, allowing users to find hotels, restaurants, and other information using live and up-to-date data.

This upgrade represents Samsung's effort to make Bixby more competitive with other AI assistants like Google's Gemini. The company has been gradually positioning Bixby as a more integral part of its AI phone strategy, with COO Won-Joon Choi emphasizing the need for more natural interactions. The beta is available in the U.S., Germany, India, Korea, Poland, and the UK, with wider expansion planned ahead of Galaxy Unpacked on February 25.