We have some insight into Samsung’s AI plans for the Galaxy S26. 2025 saw Samsung repeatedly bundle a free Perplexity Pro subscription to its Samsung Galaxy phone and tablet users via several promotions. The last giveaway, in October 2024, saw the launch of a new Perplexity TV app that also gifted a 12-month subscription to Perplexity Pro to all Samsung TV users.
Behind the scenes, the two companies were hammering out a deal to work together more closely for future Samsung phones. Now we have a clear idea of what that partnership could look like on the upcoming Galaxy S26.
Perplexity Will Answer Complex Questions On The Samsung Galaxy S26
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra could see new Bixby features powered by Perplexity too. (Photo by Joan Cros/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
NurPhoto via Getty Images
A Samsung user on X (via SamMobile) recently posted a screenshot of Bixby answering a question about the weather. Bixby gave a detailed response, recommending that the user take a jacket if they’re headed out because the temperature feels colder than it actually is.
At the bottom of the reply, Bixby cites its source as Perplexity. This, the X user notes, was tested out in One UI 8.5, which rolled out to beta testers earlier in December.
This is a big hint that Perplexity will have a major role to play on the Galaxy S26 next year. The two companies have reportedly been in partnership discussions since June, with Samsung even considering a significant investment in the AI startup.
In that time, we have seen Samsung and Perplexity partner on repeated free giveaways of Perplexity Pro to millions of Samsung galaxy phone and tablet users. Now it’s clear why: the two companies have been working together to integrate Perplexity’s research-heavy engine directly into the Galaxy ecosystem.
Update December 30th: Samsung Isn’t Finished With Google Gemini As It Announces New TV AI Tools Ahead Of Galaxy S26 Release Date
Update December 30th 12:22: Samsung isn’t finished with Google’s AI tech yet. The company has announced that Google Photos will be coming to Samsung TVs soon, alongside bringing the Google Gemini Nano (Banana) image generation model to the Korean company’s screens.
Starting in 2025, the two companies are partnering to turn the household TV into a “cinematic gallery” by natively supporting the Google Photos Memories feature. A user’s pictures will be curated and featured in Daily+ (a hub for non-entertainment apps) and the Daily Board, which is an ambient display mode on Samsung TVs.
Later in 2025, Samsung will introduce advanced editing and creation tools via Google’s image generation AI tool, Gemini Nano. Users will be able to use the remix feature to change the art style of a picture, turn pictures into videos, and view slideshows of collections grouped together by the AI based on their similarity.
The Memories feature will launch exclusively on Samsung TVs for six months in early 2025. The Gemini Nano-powered tools will land in the second half of the year, with device support including all 2026 Samsung TVs and “select older models” via a software update.
This tallies with Samsung’s commitment to bring Perplexity to TVs and shows that the company is continuing to work with both partners to bolster its AI offering—leaning on Google for advanced creative AI tools while using Perplexity for more practical tasks that require accuracy.
What Will Perplexity Do On Samsung Galaxy Phones, Including the Galaxy S26?
Samsung has centered its mobile AI around its in-house Galaxy AI tools, such as Circle to Search, Live Translate, and Note Assist, while also relying on Google Gemini for a broader chatbot experience.
Bixby, which doesn’t have the advanced generative AI toolset of Gemini, has been repurposed on the Galaxy S25 as a help-bot that answers questions about the device and, in some cases, completes actions.
When I tested this out with the Galaxy S25 in February, I found that Bixby could make settings adjustments, or tell me how to make changes, with a voice command. Tasks like putting apps into split-screen, adjusting screen text size, or setting up facial recognition were all possible. This solves a long-term smartphone feature bloat problem that these complex devices suffer from: there’s too much to do and therefore too much to learn.
The Future of Bixby and Samsung Galaxy S26 AI Integration
Bixby’s deep access to Samsung galaxy phone settings, potentially powered by Perplexity’s reasoning, means it could be able to tackle more complex tasks related to using the phone. For example, showing users how to take advantage of Android’s deep customization options or using features like Audio Eraser without the user even knowing it exists, simply by asking: “reduce the background noise on this video.”
I noted in February that Bixby’s handling of complex and layered requests needed work and was, at the time, too slow. But Perplexity’s speed and search accuracy could solve both of those issues. What we don’t know yet is if advanced Bixby features will eventually require a Perplexity Pro subscription on the Galaxy S26 (hence the repeated free giveaways), if it will work on-device (instead of relying on the cloud) or exactly what role Gemini will play on the Samsung Galaxy S26. Stay tuned for more information by hitting the follow button below.
