A new day has dawned for the Samsung side button. At Samsung Unpacked 2025 on Wednesday, the company announced a small — but meaningful — tweak arriving on the Galaxy S25 line. As it continues to focus more efforts on mobile AI, Samsung is offering up easier access to Google Gemini, by way of the button.
The news arrives after years of failed attempts to gain traction with Samsung’s own Bixby smart assistant. It also follows word that Gemini is effectively replacing Google Home on Android devices — though the assistant will live on through smart home products like the Nest thermostat.
Generative AI generally — and Gemini specifically — were at the heart of Wednesday’s Unpacked event. Mobile companies are increasingly looking toward platforms like this — and Apple Intelligence/ChatGPT — to justify device updates that were once largely the realm of hardware advancements. But the offerings on the S25 are still driven by neural cores on the new Snapdragon 8 Elite chip.
In line with Apple’s recent updates to Siri, Gemini offers more cross-app functionality, via Google apps like Maps, YouTube, and Messages, along with Spotify. Extensions also provides access to useful Samsung apps, including Reminder, Calendar, Notes, and Clock.
Much like Google’s Home pivot, Samsung hasn’t abandoned Bixby. Earlier this month at CES, the company showcased how the smart assistant will live on via its line of appliances and other home products.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 line is up for preorder and set to start shipping on February 7.
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