It seems like users of the Samsung Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+ would really like the option to remap the dedicated Bixby button on their smartphones. The company recently released a firmware update that prevented users from changing the function of the button to anything else except for launching its Bixby assistant. However, developer Dave Bennett seems to have found a workaround. He has released an app called BixRemap that lets users launch Google Now over Bixby whenever the button is pressed. He notes that users might see Bixby opening for a split second, only to be replaced by Google Now.
It should be noted that this solution doesn’t require any rooting or specialised commands from the user. The user can simply download the app from the Play Store, turn on Usage Data Access and then tap the ‘Start Service’ button. Bennett notes that he developed the app in 20 minutes, and will develop it further if it generates interest.
Samsung’s new AI-based assistant is one of the highlights of its new flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+. However, the assistant doesn’t come with voice support at the time of launch. Till voice search finally becomes available, users might want to keep their options for assistants open.