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A new day has dawned for the Samsung side button. At Samsung Unpacked 2025 on Wednesday, the company announced a small but meaningful tweak coming to the Galaxy S25 line. Continuing to push more into mobile AI, Samsung offers easier access to Google Gemini via a button.
The news comes after years of failed attempts by Samsung to gain traction with its own Bixby smart assistant. It also follows talk of Gemini effectively replacing Google Home on Android devices — though the assistant will live on as smart home products. Nest thermostat.
Generative AI in general — and Gemini in particular — was the focus of Wednesday’s Unpacked event. Mobile companies are increasingly looking to platforms like this – and Apple Intelligence/ChatGPT – to justify device updates that were once largely in the domain of hardware development. But the offerings on the S25 are still driven by the neural cores on the new Snapdragon 8 Elite chip.
In line with Apple’s recent updates to Siri, Gemini offers more cross-app functionality through Google apps like Maps, YouTube and Messages, along with Spotify. Extensions also provide access to useful Samsung apps, including Reminder, Calendar, Notes and Clock.
Like Google’s Home pivot, Samsung hasn’t given up on Bixby. At CES earlier this month, the company demonstrated how the smart assistant will live with appliances and other household products.
The The Samsung Galaxy S25 line is up for pre-order and will begin shipping on February 7th.
