Samsung to End Reward System for Use of Bixby in August

Starting in August, Samsung Galaxy smartphone owners will no longer be rewarded for using the Bixby digital assistant.

Samsung announced the changes in an email to users subscribed to the My Bixby Level. This program, with perks that really pay off, works like a rewards system for Samsung smartphone owners who choose to use Bixby.

This is clearly one of Samsung’s bold moves to convince people to use its own AI-powered digital assistant. It might be a little too desperate but also understandable considering that Bixby arrived in an already busy digital assistants competition. While in its early stages of release, Samsung’s Bixby had to compete with Alexa and Google Assistant.

According to the email, the My Bixby Level rewards system will be terminated on Aug. 10.

With My Bixby Level, smartphone users earn points, which can be exchanged for paid Bixby background colors. But a more enticing offer is earning Samsung Pay points, which can be traded for discounts on actual items and purchases. Bixby-earned rewards also grant people a ticket to enter Samsung’s contests and win cool Samsung devices.

Samsung Reward Points through Bixby can still be earned prior to the termination date. The company also confirmed that all background color options that were bought through the My Bixby Level can still be used beyond Aug. 10.

It is unclear why Samsung decided to stop the rewards system when it is clearly an effective tool to convince people to use Bixby. In a way, this move might mean that the rewards system has fulfilled its job and Bixby has now gathered an ample number of regular users.

However, The Verge suggests that My Bixby Level could have possibly led to failure. The report notes that in the earlier days of the program, Samsung would give customers points by simply dictating orders to Bixby.

Along the way, the company issued modifications that made it a tad more tedious to collect points. Now, the complete termination of My Bixby Level is likely an indication that Bixby users are raking in way more points and perks than Samsung can afford to give them.