It was only a matter of time: Samsung's Bixby assistant isn't confined to just phones anymore.
The company will soon bring its digital assistant to appliances, starting with its own refrigerators and smart TVs. Samsung is also working with third-party developers to open up Bixby to non-Samsung products "in the near future."
SEE ALSO:Samsung promises foldable phones by 2018The news is part of Samsung's "Bixby 2.0" update, announced today at the company's developer conference in San Francisco. The revamped Bixby is smarter, has better voice recognition capabilities, and has improved personalization features.
It's also the first time Samsung has started to bring its much-hyped assistant to devices other than its smartphones — a significant move for the company, whose assistant lags behind Amazon and Google.
Adding Bixby to appliances, though, stands to eventually give Samsung a leg up over Amazon and Google, which have already been slowly integrating with home appliances. But given that Samsung already sells a whole lot of its own washers, dryers, TVs, and fridges, the company could easily make up a lot of lost ground fairly quickly — at least in theory.
It's not clear just how many of Samsung's appliances will be ready to support Bixby anytime soon. The company says it's beginning with its smart TVs and Family Hub refrigerator (that's the camera-equipped fridge that lets you check what's inside even when you're not home.)
The Bixby-enabled TVs will ship next year in the U.S. and Korea. It's not clear when Bixby will be ready for the Family Hub fridges and other appliances.
Additionally, the company is working on opening up Bixby to third-parties so other developers can add the assistant to their products. Samsung is starting with a small group of developers but plans to open up the Bixby SDK more widely "in the near future."
TopicsSamsungGadgets
(责任编辑：百科)
17 questions you can answer if you're a good communicatorWhat was Leia's end in 'Rise of Skywalker'?Where to watch your favorite holiday movies
Time's Up releases guide to help actors better understand their rightsThe Weeknd teases new music in Instagram postYou can now play 'Solitaire' and 'Tic
Google just added two new fun Easter eggs to its search results.。You can now play 。 Solitaire 。and。 Ti
...[详细]Apple Glasses may include some of these features
While we still don't know when we'll see Apple's long-awaited headset – 2020? 2022? – we
...[详细]TikTok's list of community guidelines just got way bigger
If you were thinking about promoting underage drug use on TikTok, think again. (Also, what's wrong w
...[详细]4 ways to get the best streaming experience out of your new Roku
Roku has become more or less synonymous with streaming boxes over the past several years, so it figu
...[详细]Aly Raisman catches Simone Biles napping on a plane like a champion
Simone Biles is exhausted. She won five medals at the Summer Olympics in Rio, posed for selfies with
...[详细]Hugh Grant knocking on doors in the name of Brexit is giving us 'Love Actually' vibes
The last time Hugh Grant went door-knocking, he was a prime minister looking for love. But, 16 years
...[详细]Gifts to make a 'dumb' car as smart as a Tesla
We can't all drive teched-out cars like a Tesla Model 3, with its touchscreen and phone app that can
...[详细]Australia's raging bushfires are smothering New Zealand with smoke
Australians have been choking on smoke for weeks as enormous bushfires rage across the country. Now,
...[详细]Olympic security asks female Iranian fan to drop protest sign
Olympic security personnel questioned a female Iranian volleyball fan Saturday when she showed up fo
...[详细]Streaming service Quibi will launch with more than 175 new shows
At CES, the streaming service Quibi showed off its technology and some of its more than 175 new show
...[详细]The Weeknd teases new music in Instagram post
Hey, Disney+ people. You should give 'Flight of the Navigator' a shot.