Galaxy S8 Bixby button can be repurposed with this app

You know that Samsung really wants Bixby to be its next big thing when it dedicated a physical button just for it. Pretty much like how older Sony Xperia phones had a physical shutter button to emphasize their photographic bent. Not everyone, however, is going to be a fan of Bixby, which means that's one hardware button wasted. Not unless you use this All in one Gestures app to let you remap that button to launch something else, like, for example, Google Assistant.

There are many apps that let you use gestures and buttons to start apps or processes, but All in one Gesture so far is the only one to support custom hardware keys. Considering the Bixby button isn't standard at all, that's pretty much what you'll need.

You do have to go through a few pages of settings, including enabling Accessibility Service for the app. But once you've done that, you can practically do anything with the Bixby button. You can use it to launch Google Assistant or, alternatively, Google Now. You can even set it to launch Tasker automation scripts for something a bit more complicated.

But why would you want to put Bixby on the bench? Some might not agree with having yet another nonstandard Android personal assistant and feel that OEMs should be rallying behind Google Assistant. Loyalty issues aside, however, perhaps the biggest consideration is whether Bixby, at launch, will be able to deliver even half of what Samsung promises it can do. The company does admit that Bixby is in heavy development and we hope to see a constant stream of updates. But, until then, you might have a better use for that button.

VIA: Reddit