Global Bixby updates rolling out ahead of Galaxy Note 8 launch

After months of waiting, Galaxy S8 owners across the globe might just receive Bixby Voice in advance of the Galaxy Note 8 launch next Wednesday, with multiple app updates rolling out as of yesterday. While Samsung has yet to enable Bixby Voice functionality across the board, the code should now be in place for when the time comes. Some users in Germany (although not me) are reporting the ability to use dictation with Bixby already and at least one user was told Voice would be enabled on August 22.

With Bixby a core feature of the upcoming Galaxy Note 8, which is due to be unveiled on August 23 with pre-orders starting the next day, getting Bixby Voice out globally before then seems critical. Bixby suffered enough slings and arrows for not being fully functional on the Galaxy S, but Samsung’s support channels don’t exactly inspire confidence that Bixby Voice will be operational everywhere by the time the Note 8 is announced.

The suite of app updates including Bixby, Bixby Global Action, Bixby Dictation, Bixby Wakeup and Bixby PLM have rolled out in several markets around the world, including the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Argentina, South Africa, Afghanistan, Iran, the UAE, Australia, the Philippines, Malaysia, India, Pakistan, the Netherlands and several Nordic countries. So with any luck we’ll have Bixby Voice live in a few more regions outside the US and South Korea by the time the Galaxy Note 8 starts shipping.

What do you think of Samsung’s handling of the Bixby Voice rollout? Should it have just waited?