Google Drafting New Deal With Samsung To Push Assistant Over Bixby

Google and Samsung are drafting a new deal that would push Google Assistant on Samsung devices over Bixby. Samsung is believed to the world's biggest smartphone company and is popular across the globe for its Android devices. The new deal would promote Google Assistant and the Play Store rather than Samsung's services.

Samsung Ecosystem With Bixby

Over the years, Samsung has continually been building its ecosystem of connected devices. The South Korean tech giant has consistently built its devices with Android and its in-house software on top. This also includes the Bixby voice assistant and the Galaxy app store. Of course, most of the Samsung devices come with Google's products like the Play Store.

At the same time, Samsung has been pushing its services. The company has even embedded dedicated buttons on its devices to make Bixby the most accessible option for users. This has led to multiple clashes between Google and Samsung, especially for issues about the customization of Android for Samsung devices.

Google, Samsung Draft New Deal

A report from Bloomberg suggests that Google is bringing up a new draft for Samsung that will push Google's products on Samsung devices. The exact terms of the deal haven't been disclosed. The report quotes a Samsung spokesperson who notes that the company is committed to its ecosystem and services.

"At the same time, Samsung closely works with Google and other partners to offer the best mobile experiences for our users," the spokesperson said. Adding to this, a Google spokesperson told Bloomberg that like all Android device makers, Samsung is free to create its app store and digital assistant.

"And while we regularly talk with partners about ways to improve the user experience, we have no plans to change that," the Google spokesperson said. This obviously leaves us hanging as neither of the companies are sharing any details about the new deal.

At the same time, it should be noted that Google is the latest company to join other tech companies in attempting to convince US lawmakers that it isn't abusing its power. The Play Store and Google's mandatory service with Android devices have received heightened antitrust scrutiny. If reports are to be believed, the new deal with Samsung could further undermine Google's argument.