Samsung is prioritising Google Gemini over its own Bixby – and that's a great sign for users

After months of waiting, the Samsung Galaxy S25 range is finally here. As I write this, the event is ongoing in San Jose, California, with more of the interesting features being showcased.

But there's one thing which has already piqued my interest. Early on, the brand showcased a deeper integration with Google, where Gemini Live will be built into the device on a hardware level.

When you long press the side button, Google Gemini will open as the voice assistant on-board. Unless I happened to miss it, there was no mention of Samsung's in-house Bixby whatsoever.

Personally, I'm really excited about this. I've been using Gemini Live on my own Android phone for a while, and I'm really impressed with it. The whole thing feels incredibly natural – exactly what you want from a voice assistant.

Users will even be able to make use of two new features. Live Video allows users to share live footage and get Gemini to pass comment – the video showed someone making a dough and getting insight on how to do it correctly. Screen Share is based on a similar concept, but allows Gemini to comment on your screen, rather than what your camera sees.

However, I also think it signifies an important moment for Samsung. The Korean brand has shown areal keenness to keep tech in-house where possible. It's a struggle perhaps best exemplified by the Exynos chips, which have gone back and forth with Qualcomm's Snapdragon units.

While some may seen Samsung rescinding its own tech as a bad thing, I actually see it as a strength. Being able to admit when you're wrong, or something else is better for the job, is a really important thing. It's a sign of maturity, and for Samsung, it could just be one of the most important additions in a while.

It should also pair nicely with the new features from Galaxy AI. That includes Now Brief – an AI-powered summary of your day – and the Now Bar – essentially a Dynamic Island but at the bottom of the screen rather than the top.