Samsung’s voice assistant, Bixby, has been something of a disappointment. We’ve already started seeing some features getting dropped and the company is apparently even considering killing it entirely. While Bixby’s fate isn’t sealed yet, Samsung has stopped forcing its half-baked assistant down its users’ throats. The latest example comes with its TV range, which is now getting support for the Google Assistant, a year after Alexa was added.

Both Bixby and Alexa are capable enough for controlling your TV with your voice. Where Google Assistant shines, though, is in the integrated Google services it brings. It can look up your queries on Google’s robust search engine, bring up your memories from Google Photos, and so on. Meanwhile, along with Alexa’s excellent support for thousands of smart devices, you can now control virtually any connected device in your home. And the fact that Samsung is giving you the option to switch between voice assistants and not locking you to its own is pretty commendable.

Right now, only Samsung’s 2020 range of 4K and 8K TVs are eligible for use with the Google Assistant. Samsung says that you don’t need to download any additional software to get the feature, so it’ll perhaps flick the switch remotely. Google’s voice bot was first released to Samsung TVs in the UK, France, Germany, and Italy back in October. And by the end of November, eligible users in a total of 12 countries, including Spain, Brazil, India, and South Korea, will have access to the Assistant.

Source: Samsung