Samsung teased the possible name of its upcoming artificial intelligence platform earlier this week, having revealed the moniker “AI UX” during its Bixby launch event held in China on Tuesday. The company didn’t go into any details on the matter, though the name itself hints at another revision of the tech giant’s proprietary mobile software suite that was rebranded to Samsung Experience in late 2016 after being marketed as TouchWiz since 2010. The new user interface appears to be AI-focused, with Bixby presumably having a much larger role in the overall experience, though no concrete details on the solution have yet been provided by the Seoul-based original equipment manufacturer.
Likewise, while the company hasn’t explicitly said that AI UX will be part of its next Android flagship offerings, the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus are the prime candidates to receive its latest major mobile innovation, with the firm’s high-end devices traditionally being the first to benefit from any of its R&D breakthroughs. Any potential features of AI UX are pure speculation at this point, though automation will presumably play a big part in the solution, with the trend of AI-driven experiences having already started gaining significant traction over the course of this year. One of Samsung’s recent trademarks also hinted that the company is developing a live transcription service for its smartphones, another possible addition to its highly intelligent user interface.
While Bixby itself had a slow start due to numerous delays and development issues that it suffered in the first half of the year, the companion is gradually becoming more popular among owners of contemporary Galaxy-branded devices, with Samsung repeatedly stating that the service isn’t just meant to be another selling point of its mobile offerings but a center of an entirely new product ecosystem encompassing everything from smart speakers and TVs to refrigerators and other Internet of Things devices. Samsung and its subsidiary Harman are presently in the process of developing a Bixby-enabled speaker, another device that will possibly benefit from the OEM‘s AI efforts. The Galaxy S9 series itself is still a relative unknown, with recent reports only suggesting that the two upcoming devices will succeed the Infinity Display panels of their predecessors and feature vertically arranged dual-camera setups. The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus are expected to launch in early 2018 and go on sale by spring.