Bixby 2.0 and the Note 9 could launch together later in the year

It looks like the second generation of Samsung’s voice assistant could be with us within the year. 

Speaking at MWC 2018, Samsung’s mobile chief seemed to confirm that the plan was to launch Bixby 2.0 at the same time as the Note 9 in 2018.

Of course, this isn’t the first time that we’ve heard rumblings of a release of Bixby 2.0 so it’s worth taking this prediction with a generous pinch of salt, although it coming from Koh himself does make it a little more likely. 

A big year for Bixby

Speaking to ZDNet, Koh said: “For Bixby 1.0, we focused on a fast rollout to the market. Expanding the ecosystem was difficult. So Bixby 2.0 will strengthen this aspect and we are working intensely.”

Of course, for those in the English speaking world, “fast rollout” isn’t exactly a phrase you’d associate with Bixby, with many months of delays plaguing the release. 

Koh continued: “At this speed, I think we will be able to unveil Bixby 2.0 when we launch the Galaxy Note 9.”

Now, current predictions place the launch of the Note 9 in the middle of 2018, before Samsung’s Bixby smart speaker is supposed to be hitting the market. 

In a market already dominated by Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri, Bixby 2.0 will need to be a serious improvement to make it a real contender. Watch this space. 

• MWC (Mobile World Congress) is the world's largest exhibition for the mobile industry, stuffed full of the newest phones, tablets, wearables and more. TechRadar is reporting live from Barcelona all week to bring you the very latest from the show floor. Head to our dedicated MWC 2018 hub to see all the new releases, along with TechRadar's world-class analysis and buying advice about your next phone.

Via Android Central

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