Samsung adds gesture activation for Bixby in One UI 9.0

Samsung is developing a new gesture-based method to activate its Bixby assistant, expected to debut with the upcoming One UI 9.0 software update. The feature, reportedly called "Gesture Wakeup," would allow users to summon Bixby by simply picking up their Galaxy phone and moving it closer to their face, enabling them to immediately issue a voice command without first saying a wake word.

This new activation method is designed to provide faster access than the current options, which include pressing and holding the power button or using "Hi Bixby" or "Bixby" as a hotword. The gesture is intended for situations where a user's hands are full or a quick query is needed, such as setting a reminder while walking.

The feature was discovered in early builds of One UI 9.0, which is based on Android 17. It was not present in the second beta version of the software for the Galaxy S26 series, indicating it may arrive in a future beta or with the stable public release. That stable rollout is expected to begin next month, launching first on Samsung's next-generation foldable devices, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Flip 8. Following that debut, the update should become available for other...