Samsung unveiled its Bixby-powered Galaxy Home smart speaker in August, though it still hasn’t gotten around to furnishing us with details of a release date or price.
But that hasn’t stopped new talk of a second Galaxy Home device, one that will reportedly be more competitively priced than Samsung’s already-announced speaker.
Sources claiming to have knowledge of the product told SamMobile the device will be available in black, just like the main speaker, but, beyond that and a model number (SM-V310), could offer few other details at this stage.
A lower price tag would probably mean fewer features and a smaller build compared to the Galaxy Home, which incorporates six built-in speakers, a subwoofer, and eight microphones. If that’s the case, the speaker would likely lean more toward Bixby — Samsung’s digital assistant that’s already embedded in the tech company’s newer mobile devices — as its main selling point, with customers encouraged to opt for the high-end Galaxy Home if sound quality for music tracks and podcasts is of greater importance.
In a bid to give Bixby a boost and compete better with rival services, Samsung recently opened up its smart assistant to third-party developers so that it can be integrated into other apps and services.
Competitors
Samsung’s Galaxy Home smart speaker, when it finally hits the market, will compete with Apple’s HomePod, which comes with Siri support, as well as Amazon’s Echo speakers, powered by its Alexa digital assistant, and the Google Home with Google Assistant.
It wouldn’t be that surprising to see Samsung launch a more affordable version of the Galaxy Home, especially when you consider the various versions offered by Amazon — the diminutive Echo Dot, currently on offer for $30, was a big seller this holiday season, according to Amazon. Google, too, offers the Google Home Mini smart speaker (now on sale for $29) alongside the larger Google Home (currently priced at $89), and the even bigger and more powerful Google Home Max, which comes with a $399 price tag.
With CES 2019 just a few days away, there’s hope that Samsung could unveil the new smart speaker at the tech event in Las Vegas. Digital Trends will be covering the gathering in detail, so check back for all the news as it unfolds at the world’s biggest tech show.
