Tech

Samsung replaces Bixby Home with Samsung Daily

Despite the change, Samsung remains committed to its virtual assistant.

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Bixby, Samsung’s smart assistant, is losing what's perhaps one of its most useful features. Well, kind of. At its developer conference in San Jose, California, Samsung announced that the Bixby Home page would be replaced by Samsung Daily on its Bixby-enabled phones.

Samsung Daily is largely a branding shift, offering a few updates to Bixby Home’s card-based home screen that should roll out in November. The screen will still populate cards for news, sports, videos, games, music, and recipes, but an improved interface promises better readability.

Developer perks — These cards port over from existing apps, so the more important update is increased ease of use for developers and content creators. Interactive templates make it possible for those without any coding experience to become a part of Samsung Daily’s ecosystem. An update to Bixby Views will also allow developers to create uniform designs that span Samsung's televisions, smartwatches, tablets, and even its smart refrigerators.

Diamond in the rough — While Bixby’s prevailing narrative involves accidental activation of the phone-slowing assistant, users have uncovered beloved tools like Bixby Routines that automatically adjust to their daily usage. This name change feels minor, but it displays an apparent commitment to refinement of the overall Bixby experience for wider adoption.

Of course, if you can’t wait for Samsung to get it together, disabling Samsung Daily should follow the same process as Bixby Home. You know, just in case you've had enough of it.