Samsung may soon let Galaxy users long-press the power button, aka the side button, to launch Gemini instead of Bixby. A recent update for the Google app hints at this possibility. The new function could roll out with One UI 7.0, which may enter the beta stage anytime now.
Bixby may finally make way for Google Gemini on your Galaxy’s power button
Samsung Galaxy devices support both Google Assistant and Gemini, but you can’t activate them by pressing and holding the power button. Instead, the button launches Samsung’s Bixby AI assistant, even if it’s not the default assistant. You can customize the button to open the power menu but can’t set it to launch Google’s AI assistants.
On other Android phones, the power button can launch the default assistant, so Samsung does this intentionally to drive people towards using Bixby. However, since Bixby isn’t as smart or powerful as Gemini or even Google Assistant, it’s been slowly fading away. We hardly use Bixby on our devices, certainly not as much as Gemini.
Samsung knows this and seemingly plans to make it more convenient for Galaxy users to summon Google’s AI tool. Android expert Mishal Rahman recently discovered code strings hiding at a new function allowing Galaxy devices to launch Gemini through the power button. The strings refer to the ability to “hold down the Side button to talk to Gemini,” with the “Samsung” tag confirming it’s intended for Galaxy devices.
“The strings are part of the Gemini intro screen that’ll appear in the setup wizard for Samsung devices,” Mishaal explains. While the addition of code strings doesn’t tell when the supposed feature might roll out, Samsung is currently gearing up to introduce One UI 7.0. It is expected to announce the beta program within the next few hours. This Gemini upgrade could be part of this big update.
