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Samsung is blocking users from customizing the Galaxy S8's Bixby button

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Source: The Verge & XDA Developers 

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Ahead of the phone's commercial launch later this week, Samsung has reportedly prevented the Bixby button on its Galaxy S8 from being remapped to perform other functions. It was previously reported that a third-party app would be able to change the button's purpose; instead of opening Samsung's personal assistant, perhaps some users would prefer that it trigger Google Assistant, launch the camera, or open a favorite app.

 

According to a post at XDA Developers, a new Galaxy S8 firmware update from Samsung now shuts down the ability to remap the Bixby button. Previously, the button's command was "intercepted" by the Accessibility Services built into Android. That would’ve allowed other apps (once granted accessibility permissions by the user) to change its default function. But the latest Galaxy S8 system firmware removes this possibility altogether. Nothing’s being taken away since the phone hasn’t even launched yet, but Samsung is preventing a bit of customization that power users would’ve appreciated.

Oh boy, Samsung becoming like Microsoft. 

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Update (1:38PM CST): We have learned that a Samsung representative on Twitter has confirmed the removal of this remapping ability.

 

Update 2 (2:05PM CST): A user (who wishes to remain anonymous) who has a Galaxy S8review unit in the United States claims that their device is up to date and still has the ability to remap the Bixby button.

Update: Samsung Representative Confirms

Philip Berne, who heads the reviews program at Samsung U.S.A, has confirmed that Samsung has indeed pulled the plug on the ability to remap the Bixby button.

Although Mr. Berne later states that he can’t say for sure why the behavior has changed (we think the reason is fairly obvious), we disagree with the characterization that the method used to remap the Bixby button is “exploiting a system-level behavior.” Enabling an Accessibility Service to intercept KeyEvents is a perfectly legitimate feature that many applications are built around, there is nothing involving an exploit when a user uses one of these applications.

Update 2: Carrier Specific?

A user, who wishes to remain anonymous, has DMed us on Twitter stating that his Samsung Galaxy S8 review device is still able to remap the Bixby button. Furthermore, he states that his unit is up to date.

 

We won’t discount the possibility that this is carrier specific, but at this time we don’t think it’s the likely answer, because the questions it raises don’t make much sense to us. For starters, why would Telus in Canada (the carrier that flar2 purchased his Galaxy S8 from) request to have this ability removed? And if what this user states is true, what do we make of the tweets by the Samsung U.S. representative?

 

We’re hoping we can get an official statement from Samsung or Telus to clear things up.

 

Seriously? Why would anyone use Bixby? So this is a heads up to anyone who preordered their GS8. I just hope that the Note 8 would still have the option to repurpose that Bixby button. To be honest, I'd turn that button as a camera quick launcher. 

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Eh, I don't see it as a huge issue. Would it be cool to be able to? Sure. But it's their design, their choice.

 

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Just now, Belgarathian said:

Unfortunate, but nothing gained, nothing lost. 

 

No one was going to buy the SG8 because it had a remappable Bixby button. 

Tbh, I was disappointed that the only thing the GS8 has to offer is their Infinity display and that the rest of the world except North America will get the Exynos variant. I was hoping a camera refresh to the GS8 but they recycled the GS7 camera. Not that the GS7 camera sensor is bad, it's just that camera improvements is a fair expectation to flagship phone refresh every year. 

Just now, dizmo said:

Eh, I don't see it as a huge issue. Would it be cool to be able to? Sure. But it's their design, their choice.

 

Soccer moms who will buy the GS8 will probably won't care at all. At least for the tech savvy ones, they could probably root it and get the button customization. 

There is more that meets the eye
I see the soul that is inside

 

 

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4 minutes ago, hey_yo_ said:

Tbh, I was disappointed that the only thing the GS8 has to offer is their Infinity display and that the rest of the world except North America will get the Exynos variant. I was hoping a camera refresh to the GS8 but they recycled the GS7 camera. Not that the GS7 camera sensor is bad, it's just that camera improvements is a fair expectation to flagship phone refresh every year. 

Soccer moms who will buy the GS8 will probably won't care at all. At least for the tech savvy ones, they could probably root it and get the button customization. 

 

GS8 has a new camera sensor

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2 minutes ago, Misanthrope said:

Oh boy I fear most users will get triggered by this button for explosive bouts of anger.

I see what you did there

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17 minutes ago, hey_yo_ said:

 

Soccer moms who will buy the GS8 will probably won't care at all. At least for the tech savvy ones, they could probably root it and get the button customization. 

Eh I'm pretty tech savvy, I don't care :P

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10 minutes ago, dizmo said:

Eh I'm pretty tech savvy, I don't care :P

s8 is one of the best looking phone in the market. 

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I mean everything is possible with rooting (never rooted so can't be sure, plz no hate). On my old iPhone 5s I could jaolbreak it and then install Activator which allows to map all ios button to do what you want (e.g open Candy Crush, Sleep the device...).

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11 minutes ago, nerdslayer1 said:

s8 is one of the best looking phone in the market. 

That's debatable. I'm actually not a huge fan of the look. Spec wise, kind of. No dual camera on a flagship is a killer for me. 

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But rooting viods warranty, sth more valuable than getting more customization options to some ppl.

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2 minutes ago, dizmo said:

That's debatable. I'm actually not a huge fan of the look. Spec wise, kind of. No dual camera on a flagship is a killer for me. 

if you want to see a another good looking phone look at the mi mix. most duel camera setups are a gimmick, for now only good setup i have seen is the i phone 7 plus. 

lg has quality issue and huawei cameras are good but not the best. 

 

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meh, already was uninterested on the phone

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Its.... its just a button...

 

Pretty sure that if we were talking of the LG G6, news wouldnt be across every forum or android community.

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I like roms with remappable buttons, like the one on my nexus 6p... Single tap the power button to lock/unlock, double tap to open the camera, long press for flashlight. Volume buttons when long pressed will act like media controls. 

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2 hours ago, nerdslayer1 said:

GS8 has a new camera sensor

Any link from Samsung? I'm pretty sure if it was a new sensor Samsung should've talked about it in their Unpacked Event in NYC but it's pretty much the same sensor in GS7.

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I played about with Bixby on my stores demo handsets and... well... its a bit shit if you ask me. I took a picture and it "searched the web" looking for similar looking objects. I took a picture of a chip & pin machine and it brought up pictures of handbags and cushions... Not quite the same.

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how mildly annoying that must be. i hope we can at least turn the functionality as a whole off if someone doesn't want it.

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I'm probably still getting this phone anyways, but I was secretly hoping I could use it as a dedicated photo button or a favorite app opener. Guess I just wont use it.

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I still dont understand how people are pissed at samsung over this. Like to the point of canceling their orders.

 

How many fucking times did they say it was a dedicated bixby button....

 

I would of liked it but Im not pissed because I didnt buy a phone for an extra button.

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24 minutes ago, mynameisjuan said:

I still dont understand how people are pissed at samsung over this. Like to the point of canceling their orders.

 

How many fucking times did they say it was a dedicated bixby button....

 

I would of liked it but Im not pissed because I didnt buy a phone for an extra button.

The majority of people complaining/bringing up issues are people that were never going to get the S8 who are looking to validate their decisions/opinions. 

 

Meanwhile those of us who are getting the device can start making our assessments when the devices arrive on our doorsteps tomorrow morning.:D

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9 hours ago, hey_yo_ said:

Oh boy, Samsung becoming like Microsoft. 

Seriously? Why would anyone use Bixby? So this is a heads up to anyone who preordered their GS8. I just hope that the Note 8 would still have the option to repurpose that Bixby button. To be honest, I'd turn that button as a camera quick launcher. 

Some may use it, some may not. Some people use Siri, some people use Cortana, some people use Google Assistant... obviously there's people for everything on this world.

I also don't know how much of the value of the phone does removing this functionality take. I would need to be inside the head of someone paying €700 for a handheld to answer that.

 

However, objectively, they are reducing a functionality of the phone, which is unambiguously negative (the only discussion is whether it is sizable or just ~ -0%). What is in the benefit side? I mean, it was less effort to just let it be. Unless.... unless they are trying to get Bixby to take off, and having a fixed button for it is an attempt at nudging users into it.

So, they prefer to reduce (again, by how much is up to you) the attractiveness of the button (if you don't use Bixby and can't re-purppose it it's an annoyance to have it there) in order to have that nudging effect. What does it tell you about the profitability of terminals vs the profitability of mining data?

I mean, taking into account that the "nerfing" isn't important enough to influence too many purchase decisions, would they give up the chance to try to boost their data collection program?

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13 hours ago, hey_yo_ said:

Tbh, I was disappointed that the only thing the GS8 has to offer is their Infinity display

It may have nothing to offer certain tastes, but the device is far from just an "infinity display" improvement

 

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For tech enthusiasts the S8 has quite a bit more to offer than any other phone available now or in the near future for that matter.

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