Before officially unveiling its new QLED TVs, Samsung announced that all new 2018K connected TVs released in 4 will feature the Bixby digital assistant. This will allow users to interact with their TVs directly through voice commands, allowing them to find content they want to watch or search for specific clips. Furthermore, the TV can serve as a central information hub for the home and connect with IoT devices.
To make it easier for users to use the TV, Samsung has further simplified the operating interface and allows users to quickly pair their phones with the TV, turning the phone into a smart remote control, a "second screen" that can display various information guides, or share viewing content through the TV.
Samsung explained that the Bixby digital assistant service on the TV platform is essentially the same as the version installed on mobile phones, sharing some of its database and learnings. However, due to the differences in operating methods between mobile phones and TV screens, there will still be some differences in usage. Language support will remain the same as the existing Bixby digital assistant service, initially supporting only Korean and English.
As for the TV viewing guide, Samsung uses search results and recommended content similar to those on Apple, Roku, and TiVo devices, allowing users to quickly understand through their phones whether the TV content they want to watch is worth their time.
