Samsung isn't throwing the towel on Bixby just yet. In fact, new rumors say that it's planning to debut a cheap smart speaker powered by Bixby.
The company already unveiled the Galaxy Home back in August, its first Bixby-powered smart speaker. While that still doesn't have a release date yet, the company is reportedly planning to release a second device that's more affordable and can compete with other budget-friendly smart speakers.
The rumor, first reported by SamMobile, comes from an anonymous source. The speaker reportedly is identified as model number SM-V310. It's worth noting that the Galaxy Home had the model number SM-V510, which could suggest Samsung might have more smart speakers up its sleeve.
Cheap Bixby Smart Speaker
Specifications for the cheaper Bixby smart speaker isn't available at the moment, but speculation says it'll have fewer of the features the Galaxy Home offers, meaning six built-in speakers, a subwoofer, and eight microphones could be out of the question. The Home Mini, a budget smart speaker from Google powered by its own assistant, is a likely comparison.
In any case, the important detail here is that the speaker is budget-friendly, which not only assures Samsung will cover all kinds of customers, but also help introduce its smart speaker platform to an already-crowded market. It'll be a huge undertaking for Samsung to take on heavyweights such as Google and Amazon, especially when a lot of people already perceive Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa as being highly reliable.
CES 2019
As with any rumor, take this one with a grain of salt. Samsung has been quiet about the Galaxy Home since showing it off for the first time back in August, and that kind of radio silence doesn't necessarily give credence to rumors of a second model coming out. That being said, CES 2019 is just around the corner. It's one of the most highly anticipated tech shows every year, and Samsung will inevitably show off some products there, including new TVs.
The company's 2019 TV lineup is rumored to have both Google Assistant and Bixby, which, if true, would mean Samsung is serious about implementing Bixby all throughout its products. What the general public feels about Bixby is no secret — hint: many simply hate it or find it necessary — but it's clear Samsung is far from giving up on that front.
Make sure to check back with Tech Times as we learn more about this rumored budget Bixby speaker. In the meantime, feel free to sound off in the comments section below if you have any thoughts!
