Samsung Galaxy S8's Bixby Assistant Will Be Able to Do Visual Search, Text Recognition: Report

If all the leaks are true, there's a lot to be excited about in the Samsung Galaxy S8. One of the big additions is Bixby. The new virtual assistant is even tipped to be accessible on all native apps. Now, a fresh leak gives an insight on how Bixby will work inside the Galaxy S8 camera app.

According to Sammobile, the device will give camera access to Bixby, and it will be able to perform a visual search or even text recognition. On the Samsung Galaxy S8, the camera app will integrate a Bixby button, which the user can activate to do a visual search on the thing that the camera is pointed towards.

The report states that 'Bixby will analyse the image, and identify objects and text. It will help you search for that object, or use optical character recognition to process any text you point the phone at'. Bixby is a result of Samsung's acquisition of Viv Labs- a company that was responsible for building Siri.

Text recognition could presumably prove to be useful to translate unknown languages while travelling. Apart from Bixby integration, the Galaxy S8 will also introduce a revamped S Health app that will come with WebMD integration. It will allow users to book video appointments, create and manage their medical history, and look for nearby pharmacies. Notably, a much older leak suggested that Bixby would be the name of the male voice of Samsung's virtual assistant, and Kestra the female counterpart.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 is tipped to sport a large display taking up most of the front. It is expected to ditch the Home Button, and may integrate the fingerprint sensor underneath the display or at the back. The smartphone is pegged for a March 29 unveil, and will be shipped sometime in April. At MWC 2017, Samsung is expected to show off the device to a selected audience.