The Bixby Assistant and Galaxy App Store may be significantly changed or removed entirely in new Samsung phones, including the Galaxy S30

This is because Bloomberg reports that Samsung and Google are currently working on a deal that would give Google more control over the search capabilities of Samsung phones and give its own apps more prominence, according to "people familiar with the matter"

Samsung currently favors its own digital assistant Bixby over Google Assistant and offers its own Galaxy Store alongside the Google Play Store for downloading apps The deal will likely mean that Samsung's homegrown options will take a backseat to Google's offerings As a result, Samsung may redesign or even discontinue its own apps

This is good news in a way, since Samsung phones are notorious for burdening users' storage space with apps they didn't ask for In addition, Bixby has the unfortunate reputation of being an inefficient nuisance compared to other digital assistants

But by Samsung doing this, it means sacrificing autonomy It also means that the One UI operating system will be closer to the stock Android 10 experience, making Samsung phones less unique compared to rivals like OnePlus and Google, which may result in fewer unique features as part of the One UI operating system

Bloom

In a statement to Bloomberg, both Google and Samsung said that Samsung will maintain its independence, but that cooperation with Google is crucial to providing the best experience for users

Google's statement said: "Like all Android device manufacturers, Samsung is free to create its own app store and digital assistant We regularly talk with our partners about ways to improve the user experience, and we have no plans to change that"

Samsung's response, on the other hand, left the door open to making radical changes: "Samsung remains committed to its own ecosystem and services At the same time, Samsung is working closely with Google and other partners to deliver the best mobile experience for our users"

As Bloomberg points out, the deal could bring huge benefits to Samsung Like many device makers, Samsung may be motivated by excess cash as sales have been depressed by the coronavirus outbreak

Samsung's next big product announcement will be at the Galaxy Unpacked event on August 5 Since this deal is still under negotiation, do not expect any major changes in Samsung's user experience to come with these phones The outcome of this deal will likely be announced with the Galaxy S30, which will be released next February