Millions of Galaxy Owners First to See Samsung Galaxy S26 Bixby Reboot in One UI 8.5 Beta

The new conversational agent arriving in One UI 8. 5 promises a practical feature boost for many phones — and that matters because it changes how people interact with their devices. The samsung galaxy s26 bixby reboot converts natural language prompts into direct device actions and in-interface web answers, which will affect users in select markets first and expand more broadly over time.

Immediate impact: who will feel the change and how

Here’s the part that matters: owners in the beta regions can move from hunting through menus to simply describing what they want, shortening common tasks and reducing trial-and-error. The upgrade is framed as a user-facing convenience — turning conversational requests into setting changes and contextual guidance — so people who struggle with deep settings or unfamiliar features are the primary audience for this boost.

What’s easy to miss is that the update also bundles live web results inside the assistant UI, which keeps searches and device control in one place rather than bouncing users between apps.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Bixby: what the reboot adds

The company announced a beta program for an upgraded Bixby that operates as a conversational device agent. The redesign emphasizes natural-language control so users don’t need exact setting names or commands; Bixby will infer intent and take the appropriate action. The update also expands access to up-to-date answers pulled from the open web, with results appearing within Bixby’s own interface rather than redirecting into a separate browser or app.

How the conversational controls and web answers work (examples)

• Device control example: Saying “I don’t want the screen to time out while I’m still looking at it” will make Bixby enable the 'Keep Screen on While Viewing' setting immediately, without menu navigation.
• Troubleshooting example: Asking “Why is my phone screen always on when it’s inside my pocket?” prompts Bixby to surface relevant settings such as Accidental Touch Protection and offer the option to turn them on.
• Web result example: A query like “Find me hotels in Seoul that have swimming pools for kids” returns web search results inside Bixby’s interface so users can explore options without switching apps.

Availability, rollout notes and background

The announcement was delivered in London, UK on Feb. 20, 2026, and the company described the release as a beta program for One UI 8. 5. The update is available in select markets including Germany, India, Korea, Poland, the UK and the U. S., with plans for broader expansion to follow. The beta was noted as landing in the U. S. earlier today, and the new One UI 8. 5 is tied to a broader timeline that includes a launch with the Galaxy S26 series, which is set to go official next week. One UI 8. 5 is based on Android 16 and is expected to roll out to other Galaxy users in the coming months.

After a false start back in January, the company re-announced this Bixby reboot as a more AI-driven assistant that builds on device controls it has offered for years. Perplexity has been mentioned on several occasions in coverage of the web results capability.

Technical caveats and account requirements

Bixby service availability requires a company account login and a data connection. Available functions and features may vary by country, region, and language. Bixby recognises only certain accents and dialects including English (UK), English (US), English (India), French (France), German (Germany) and Italian (Italy). The company also noted that its newsroom videos will no longer be supported on Internet Explorer.

Implications and short checklist for affected users

• Beta users in the listed markets will be the first to experience conversational device control and embedded web answers.
• Access requires a company account and an active data connection; some functions will vary by region and language.
• The S26 series launch next week is the initial device milestone tied to this One UI 8. 5 rollout; broader availability is expected over the following months.

The real question now is how quickly the conversational controls and embedded web results will feel reliable across dialects and device configurations; further expansion depends on those practical details becoming consistent for more users.

The real test will be whether the reboot reduces friction for everyday tasks across the wide range of Galaxy devices and users.