Samsung Introduces Apple HomePod Rival Galaxy Home Smart Speaker With Bixby Assistant

Samsung Electronics’ long-rumored Bixby-powered smart speaker has finally become official. Well, sort of. The South Korean tech giant briefly showcased the device, which is named Galaxy Home, during its Unpacked event in New York for its new products.

Samsung’s first entry into the growing smart speaker market is described as a high-end listening speaker that can go head-to-head against Apple’s HomePod. It is also designed to be a rival of Amazon’s very successful Echo products and Google’s Google Home-branded speakers, according to The Verge.

During its introduction, Samsung noted that its Bixby speaker combines “amazing sound and elegant design.” Some may say that it somehow resembles the barrel-shaped HomePod. However, the Galaxy Home has distinct features of its own like its wider bulb-like base and the trio of legs that let it stand firmly on a flat surface.

The Galaxy Home has six built-in speakers and a subwoofer that Samsung says will deliver surround sound-style audio. It also comes with eight far-field microphones for relatively distant voice input detection. Its flat top features control buttons that can be used in skipping tracks and altering sound volume.

As expected, the main feature of the Galaxy Home is the Bixby smart assistant. Users can activate the assistant by saying, “Hi, Bixby” to the speaker. Once active, users can command Bixby to play music and do other tasks. Samsung claims Bixby can do a whole lot of things that Bixby on phones can do.

Samsung did not reveal a lot about the Galaxy Home. The company is still keeping pertinent details a secret. It’s still unknown when will the speaker launch. There’s also no information about its pricing yet. Moreover, it’s different features and the music services it supports aside from Spotify remain under wraps.

While Galaxy Home is entering a market that is already dominated by Samsung’s big rivals, Engadget says the Bixby-powered device will appeal to consumers who want the full Samsung connected experience. The device will work well with Samsung’s SmartThings hub, which is the company’s growing ecosystem for its connected appliance and home devices. Plus, it will also complement Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones.