AI assistants, sometimes called virtual assistants, are basically just app programs that recognize human voice commands, which enable them to complete the task they are given without any other sort of command from the user. Most AI assistants are cloud-based programs, which means they need little more than a few internet-connected devices linked to the appropriate application in order to function.
They can help with all kinds of everyday tasks. Everything from reading emails, texts, or DMs aloud to you, all the way down to researching basic information from the internet. They are also useful tools for scheduling, with the ability to remind you about important events on your calendar or schedule.
AI assistants are the epitome of modern convenience, and Samsung Bixby and Google Assistant are just two examples of some of the major players out right now. All of these AI assistants can get quite confusing with similar features and purposes, so let’s break down these two below.
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Bixby vs. Google Assistant: Side-by-Side Comparison
Google Assistant | Bixby | |
---|---|---|
What is it? | Voice-activated AI assistant initially developed by Google for use with its Pixel devices | Voice-activated personal assistant developed by Samsung for interaction between Samsung devices |
Native to the Google Home ecosystem but also available for Android and even iOS | “Hey Google” or “OK Google” | “Hey Bixby” |
Device Integration | Native to Google Home ecosystem but also available for Android and even iOS | Native to Samsung’s SmartThings hub, works predominantly with newer Samsung devices/systems |
Supported Languages | 40 total including six English dialects, two French dialects, and two Spanish dialects, Italian, German, Japanese, Hindi, Chinese (Mandarin), Korean, Portuguese, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish | 9 total including English, Korean, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Chinese (Mandarin) |
Strengths | Internet search-based inquiries | Executing phone-related commands |
Compatibility | Supported by many brands of smart home devices | Support is limited to Samsung devices |
Bixby vs. Google Assistant: What’s the Difference?
Google Assistant and Bixby are both AI-powered, voice-based virtual assistants. Google’s version was initially developed for use with the company’s Pixel phones and eventually its smart home devices. Google Assistant comes pre-installed on any Android devices that run on version 6.0 or higher. These devices could be anything from tablets, smart home devices such as the company’s own Google Home, and, of course, Android smartphones.
Bixby, Samsung’s voice-based, AI virtual assistant was created mostly as a way to compete with Google, as well as Siri by Apple, Alexa by Amazon, and others. The general idea behind Bixby was an attempt to make interactions with devices easier for the user. It was designed to use natural language processing, which helps the AI better understand how people talk and thereby pick up on things like subtextual meaning.
Performance
Google Assistant is prompted by the phrase “OK Google” or “Hey Google,” while Bixby is ready for commands following “Hey Bixby.” But if hot-word activation isn’t your speed, either one can be accessed with a power button on an Android device. Conveniently, users are also able to set a shortcut to open the voice service by either setting up a hotkey or by using the device’s touch/swipe functionality. Google Assistant is available on a wider variety of devices, which comes in handy. It can increase the likelihood of a compatible device being within your vicinity when you attempt to use the hot-word activation.
Adaptability
Google Assistant has been around longer than Bixby, which is an advantage. The longer an application is on the market, typically the more developments are made as a response to issues faced along the way. Its versatility gives users more options in terms of the number of hands-free tasks they can complete.
Bixby, of course, was designed with similar functionality in mind. The catch is that it was designed to integrate primarily with Samsung products and apps. This makes Bixby a pro at phone-based tasks such as clearing cache or changing Bluetooth settings, but these are things that Google Assistant is also capable of, although these functions may require some extra setup.
Google Assistant’s bread and butter is, unsurprisingly, the web search function. That’s not to say that Bixby isn’t capable of a web search, but the results from a Google Assistant search tend to yield more relevant results. Bixby’s strength is the ability to control your devices, particularly your phone. Google Assistant does possess the functionality, but Bixby handles it more seamlessly — so long as you have a Samsung phone, of course.
Device Integration
Google Assistant works seamlessly with all Android-based devices like Android smart TVs. It also comes included on all Google Home products like Google Nest. This can be used to control TVs, house lights, speakers, security cams like Ring, and any other device that is compatible with smart-home technology. Google Assistant can help in the car, too. Working with the Android Auto app Google Assistant can execute and respond to voice commands while the user is driving.
Google Assistant is also compatible with smart devices from other brands. Lenovo’s Smart Home System will work seamlessly with Google’s voice commands. And while it’s well-known that Google comes standard as the OS on most Android phones, most people aren’t aware that they can use it on Apple iPhones with little more than a simple download.
In stark contrast to Google’s versatility, Bixby is limited to Samsung devices. It does have a workaround for controlling non-Samsung devices by using and downloading the SmartThings app. And while this is an acceptable solution, it’s nowhere near as convenient as native support on most devices. It should also be noted, however, that a newer device will be required in order to achieve Bixby’s full functionality.
Google Assistant seems to have the advantage here if you tend to hold onto your devices for a while. If you are constantly buying the latest and greatest, then it’s not an issue. The burden of continually upgrading to get the best functionality out of Bixby won’t be a problem for you.
Supported Languages
Google Assistant supports over 40 languages including Italian, German, Japanese, Hindi, Chinese (Mandarin), Korean, Portuguese, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish. Remarkably, it supports six English dialects, two French dialects, and two Spanish dialects. Best of all, you can set up bilingual functionality which means Google Assistant is able to understand and respond to two languages at once. This is an ideal setup for any household that is bilingual.
Bixby also can be set up to support dual languages, though its scope is a bit more limited. Currently, Bixby supports only nine languages: English, Korean, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Chinese (Mandarin).
This category may be more important to some rather than others. Bixby covers its bases by supporting some of the more widely-used languages, but Google Assistant has a much larger language base. If that is important to you, Google Assistant is the clear winner here.
Features
We saved the best for last as features tend to be the selling point for most people when it comes to selecting a digital assistant. And in this category, neither Bixby nor Google Assistant will leave you wanting.
Bixby’s features fall basically into one of three categories: Bixby Voice, Bixby Vision, and Modes & Routines. Bixby Voice is what most people expect when they think of a voice assistant. It allows you to ask the basic questions you’d expect like weather reports, details about your schedule, or any other general knowledge question that can be found in an online search. Device integration might be the most powerful feature of Bixby Voice, though. Bixby Voice has the ability to change phone settings. It can read your messages aloud, make phone calls, upload images to your social media, or even rate your Uber Eats delivery.
If you have ever used Google Lens, then Bixby Vision will look familiar to you. You simply point your phone at any object or animal and Bixby Vision will identify it within a matter of moments. It’s also useful for things such as a shopping tool, a calorie count estimator for your lunch, or for researching and finding nearby activities. The final feature, Modes & Routines, is Bixby’s version of Siri Shortcuts or the “If This Then That” app. It basically learns your habits. Let’s say you listen to your workout mix at the gym each morning. You can ask Bixby to automatically start that playlist when you enter the gym or at a certain time of day.
Google Lens and Assistant Routines give Google Assistant the same features as the Bixby features listed above, but Google Assistant doesn’t stop there. One of the features Google has developed heavily is using the Assistant’s voice for more advanced functions. Anyone who has a Pixel phone can use Google Assistant to screen their calls. Remarkably, it can also hold someone’s place in a phone queue and transcribe voice messages verbatim. Google Assistant is a remarkable engineering feat that makes everyday tasks that much easier.
Bixby vs. Google Assistant: 7 Must-Know Facts
- Google Assistant is supported by many smart home devices, and Bixby is exclusively supported by Samsung devices.
- Bixby hasn’t been on the market as long and therefore hasn’t had time to develop the level of app integration that Google has.
- The functionality between the two is similar, but Google currently has more features.
- Google Assistant supports more languages at 40 versus Bixby at 9, though Bixby supports the most widely-used languages.
- Both have dual-language settings which are ideal for bilingual households.
- Bixby’s strengths tend to be in handling commands which center around phone-based features.
- Google’s strengths tend to be in handling commands which involve Internet searches.
Bixby vs. Google Assistant: Which One is Better?
Google Assistant and Samsung Bixby have a lot in common, especially in terms of the basic functions one would expect from a virtual assistant. When it comes to things like executing voice commands or performing a wide range of tasks, there seems to be little difference between these two.
Google Assistant works natively with the Google Home system but also works with most Android devices. Bixby, on the other hand, is mostly restricted to Samsung devices. Bixby may have a slight advantage in terms of understanding the context within the app being used. On the other hand, Google Assistant is known for providing more natural responses during contextual conversations.
In our opinion, Google Assistant has a slight edge over Bixby in the digital assistant showdown. Many would even contend Google Assistant is superior to the other major smart assistants such as Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri. It offers a wider range of functionality, easier integrations with third-party apps and devices, and a far more incorporated ecosystem.
It’s worth noting that none of that means you shouldn’t use Bixby. If you’re someone who almost exclusively uses Samsung devices, Bixby might just be the voice assistant that best suits your personal situation. If that sounds like you, the good news is that Bixby currently expanding. We expect that Samsung will keep developing new and interesting features that will help Bixby better compete with Google Assistant.