Samsung is reportedly gearing to launch its Bixby -powered smart speaker within the first half of 2018, Bloomberg reports.
Sources who spoke to Bloomberg note that the smart speakers will have a strong focus on audio quality and the management of connected home appliances such as lights and locks.
The speaker will run Bixby, Samsung’s new virtual assistant and Siri rival announced in March 2017. The report also notes that the speaker will also synchronize with TVs, Galaxy smartphones and other Samsung devices.
Details about the actual launch date and pricing are still not clear as Samsung is said to be still working on improving the device’s ability to conduct voice-based web searches, the report says.
Samsung’s smart speakers are set to take on Google Home, Amazon’s Echo and Apple’s upcoming HomePod.