Samsung plans to roll out One UI 9, built on Android 17, with a fresh method to summon its Bixby assistant. The update will let users lift the phone to their face, triggering Bixby without a hotword or button press. This “Gesture Wake‑up” adds a hands‑free option for the dwindling but still supported voice service on compatible devices.

Current users already access Bixby via the traditional hotword, a long‑press of the power key, or the new gesture. Samsung hopes the gesture will prove more reliable than accidental triggers, a common criticism of voice assistants. One UI 9 is slated for a July launch on the Galaxy Z Fold8 and Z Flip8, then will trickle down to other supported models through software updates 2024.

If the sensor works as advertised, users can interact with Bixby instantly, narrowing the gap between Samsung’s assistant and rivals like Google Assistant. The addition signals Samsung’s commitment to keep Bixby viable across its flagship foldables, rather than retire it. One UI 9’s gesture will therefore become a defining feature of the next Samsung software generation.