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Like the person in the picture, we've yet to know what the new device is truly capable of. Pictured: A visitor talks on his mobile phone as he walks past the Samsung stand at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona on February 25, 2019. - Phone makers will focus on foldable screens and the introduction of blazing fast 5G wireless networks at the world's biggest mobile fair starting February 25 in Spain as they try to reverse a decline in sales of smartphones. AFP/Getty Images/Gabriel Bouys

Before it could even release its Galaxy Home speaker, Korean tech giant Samsung has launched a beta testing for the Galaxy Home Mini --a smaller version of the smart speaker that’s still in development at the moment.

As seen in Samsung’s website (in Korean), South Koreans who use a Samsung Galaxy smartphone can register from Aug. 28 through Sept. 1 to hopefully take part in the beta testing. The Korean tech giant will then choose 3,000 among those who registered for the beta.

Samsung will announce the names of those who are chosen to take part in the beta testing on Sept. 4. All of them will be given a Galaxy Home Mini speaker after that.

Features

The website doesn’t say much about the device. A blurb written above the device’s image in the website, when translated to English, seems to say that the device can control appliances and IoT devices via voice commands given to Bixby or the SmartThings app. The blurb also says the smart speaker features audio technologies courtesy of AKG.

The aforementioned image also implies that the Galaxy Home Mini works with Samsung’s SmartThings app to control smart appliances that include washers, robot vacuums, smart TVs, and refrigerators. The website, however, doesn’t say anything about the device’s battery life and other specs.

Why is the full-sized model delayed?

SamMobile noted that although the full-sized Galaxy Home was announced more than a year ago, Samsung hasn’t launched a beta program for it yet. The Korean tech giant simply reassured people that it’s coming soon, but is continually being refined and enhanced before being launched.

It’s not difficult to understand why the Galaxy Home isn’t here yet. Samsung has a lot of smart devices and home appliances, and it will take the tech giant some time to unify them and make them work together with a smart speaker.

Furthermore, it’s also likely that Samsung doesn’t want to go through the same experience it had with the Galaxy Fold. By launching a beta program involving getting feedback from thousands of users, the company will discover problems and find fixes to make for a successful launch.

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A visitor talks on his mobile phone as he walks past the Samsung stand at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona on February 25, 2019. GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images
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