Samsung debuted its AI-powered digital assistant Bixby with the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+, and even dedicated a hardware button for it on the smartphones. However, since the company failed to launch Bixby Voice (the assistant's most important feature) in time, consumers got annoyed. Hello Bixby isn't very useful in its current form, and Samsung doesn't even let users remap the Bixby button to open other apps that they use frequently.
On the other hand, HTC's flagship smartphone, the U11, comes with a squeezable frame. It can be configured to launch one of the three AI assistants available on the phone: Alexa, Google Assistant, and HTC Assistant. Moreover, users can configure its pressure sensitivity as well as use short and long squeezes to perform various operations. It is also rumored that Google's next Pixel phone will use a similar squeezable frame to launch Google Assistant.
If the idea of a squeezable frame gets picked up by multiple smartphone brands, would you prefer Samsung using a similar feature in its phones instead of a button? Such a hardware feature would also make it possible to let users configure the long squeeze action (with the short squeeze dedicated to summoning Bixby) to launch the camera or any other third-party app. Moreover, it can also eradicate accidental presses that some consumers face with the Bixby button on the Galaxy S8 and S8+.
Cast your votes in the poll below, and let us know your thoughts on the matter in the comments section!
Poll Results: Going by the the poll results, most voters (31%) are fine with a physical button for Bixby. However, 28% voters think that a squeezable frame would improve the overall experience. Around 24% of the voters don't want to deal with a button or a squeezable frame, while 17% voters are not sure if they prefer a squeezable frame but they think that it could be better than the Bixby button. It's a split result, and we think that most consumers are confused as to what would be a better solution.
- No, a button is just fine 16%, 408 votes408 votes 16%408 votes - 16% of all votes
- No, a button is just fine 16%, 408 votes408 votes 16%408 votes - 16% of all votes
- Yes, absolutely 14%, 370 votes370 votes 14%370 votes - 14% of all votes
- Yes, absolutely 14%, 370 votes370 votes 14%370 votes - 14% of all votes
- I'd rather just launch it from the app drawer, no dedicated hardware required 12%, 319 votes319 votes 12%319 votes - 12% of all votes
- I'd rather just launch it from the app drawer, no dedicated hardware required 12%, 319 votes319 votes 12%319 votes - 12% of all votes
- Not sure, but better that than the irritating button 8%, 208 votes208 votes 8%208 votes - 8% of all votes
- Not sure, but better that than the irritating button 8%, 208 votes208 votes 8%208 votes - 8% of all votes
