A Samsung smart speaker featuring an improved Bixby voice assistant could join the Note 9 at the company’s Unpacked event on August 9, according to reports.
While talk of a foldable Galaxy phone headlined a Wall Street Journal report on Wednesday, the same sources also claimed Samsung’s entry into the smart speaker market was just weeks away.
The report (via SamMobile) says Samsung is plotting a price point of around $300 for the device, which will be bowl-shaped appearance with legs at the bottom. According to the sources, Samsung may follow Apple HomePod’s lead and place the emphasis on sound quality.
It also says Samsung will use a technology dubbed ‘sound shifting’ in order to direct Bixby’s responses towards the user making the command. This would give Samsung’s speaker a unique feature over the likes of the Amazon Echo and the Google Home ranges.
The major sticking point is likely to be the price point if the figure quoted today is to be believed. Apple’s HomePod is widely considered to be overpriced at £319/$339, despite leading its rivals in sound quality. If Samsung doesn’t have an ace up its sleeve, $300 (around £229) would be a reach for many consumers.
Previous rumours had suggested Samsung had planned to release its own variant alongside the revamped Bixby 2.0 assistant. If that update is ready for the Note 9, it seems the stars are aligning for the speaker to also make its debut at the Unpacked event on August 9, which is just three weeks away.
If Samsung holds back then the company will likely unveil the product at the IFA tech show in Berlin at the end of August, where it is also expected to reveal a new smartwatch. Earlier today we learned that watch is unlikely to run Google’s Wear OS, with Samsung planning to stick with Tizen.
