A Bixby smart speaker could be the latest to challenge the Amazon Echo, Google Home and upcoming Apple HomePod. Read the latest rumours on the Bixby speaker specifications, price and anticipated UK launch date.
First we had the Alexa-powered Amazon Echo, then Google Home with the Google Assistant, and then Apple with Siri on its upcoming HomePod. Expect Microsoft Cortana-powered smart speakers to be available soon. Naturally Samsung is going to want to get in on the act with a smart speaker powered by its own Bixby AI.
It makes total sense. In fact, we can’ t believe we didn’ t see it coming.
Smart speakers are much more than music-streaming devices. They take the immense power of online search to answer any question you want to throw at them, serve up media and help you plan your day. Almost anything you would ask Siri or Google Assistant to do on your phone can be done via a smart speaker, but in a home environment for all the family to enjoy.
We answer this question in much greater detail in our related What is Bixby article but, to summarise, Bixby is a new voice assistant that launched on the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, with the phones even featuring a dedicated button on their side to quick-launch the feature.
Bixby is just like Siri, Google Assistant, Cortana and Alexa, a witty companion that can answer your requests. It offers a whole new way to use your smartphone, a new voice interface that can supplement – and to some extent replace – the existing touch interface.
In truth no-one knows exactly when Samsung will unveil its Bixby speaker. However, the WSJ reports that it has been in the works for over a year, and that it is codenamed Vega.
That could mean it is close enough to completion that we get a glimpse at the upcoming Note 8 Unpacked event – rumoured to be in August or September – but much more likely is we’ ll likely hear more about it at MWC at the end of February 2018.
Bixby has been plagued with issues since its announcement, and we’ ve still yet to see the final version of Bixby itself on the Galaxy S8. This is expected to come later in July.
Samsung will, however, be going head-to-head with Apple and its HomePod, which launches in December. So the race is on.
We think Samsung is likely to position its smart speaker closer to the Apple HomePod than it is the significantly cheaper Google Home (£129) and Amazon Echo (£149) . The HomePod will then cost $349 in the US (and likely £349 in the UK) when it becomes available at the end of the year. We’ d estimate the Bixby speaker will cost between £299 and £349.
Smart speakers typically feature very similar specifications, combining a cylindrical speaker design with multiple noise-cancelling mics, wireless connectivity and a bunch of LEDs that show you it is listening to you. We’ d hope to see the Bixby speaker also feature Bluetooth, which is one thing missing from Google Home.
Very little is known about the upcoming Bixby speaker, but we will update this article when we hear more.
Read next: Google Home vs Amazon Echo vs Apple HomePod
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