Samsung Rumored To Release Bixby-Powered Bluetooth Earset Alongside The Galaxy Note 8

Samsung is expected to officially reveal the Galaxy Note 8 next month during its unpacked event. Now, a new report claims the upcoming flagship phablet might be accompanied by a new AirPods-like Bluetooth earset.

This was first reported by the South Korean tech website Etnews. The site claims Samsung is currently developing this new Bluetooth earset and might reveal it soon. It might also be released alongside the Galaxy Note 8, which is expected to go on sale sometime in September.

This new Bluetooth earset is likely to be Samsung’s answer to Apple’s AirPods. The AirPods are not only a pair of wireless earbuds for iPhones, but they also provide users quick access to Siri. Samsung’s rumored earset on the other hand is said to arrive with support for Bixby, the South Korean phone maker’s own digital smart assistant.

READ: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Release Date Confirmed; Aug. 23 Unpacked Event Invites Sent​

Having Bixby on this new Bluetooth earset is said to be part of Samsung’s plan to establish its long-term strategies for its AI voice assistant on smartphones. Samsung believes users are now slowly transitioning from touchscreen controls to simply using voice commands.

Samsung’s Bluetooth earset is rumored to come with some “noise blocking technology” that enables Bixby to recognize the user's voice even in a place where there’s too much noise. Users will also be able to use Bixby voice through the earset even if they are not near their connected smartphone. The noise blocking technology will also likely improve quality of calls.

The report claims that Samsung is still deciding whether to bundle this new Bluetooth earset along with the Galaxy Note 8, or simply sell it as a separate accessory. Apple decided to go with the latter strategy and ended up selling AirPods for $159.

Regardless, it’s believed Samsung’s Bluetooth earset will be available in South Korea and the United States first, since its the only two countries that currently supports Bixby voice. It’s also possible the new earset might make it to other markets as soon as Bixby voice is able to recognize other languages, according to Android Authority.

READ: Bixby Release Date Features: Here's What You Can Do With Samsung's Voice Assistant​

That’s all the information provided on Samsung’s new pair of Bluetooth earbuds. There were no details on other specs or what it will look like. It’s important to point out that this is just a rumor right now, and Samsung might not even reveal it, like its rumored Bixby-powered smart speaker.

Samsung releasing its own wireless earbuds with Bixby on-board isn’t really farfetched. Last year, the company released the Samsung Gear IconX, a pair of Bluetooth earbuds that also comes with a heart rate monitor.

The Gear IconX was primarily marketed towards fitness enthusiasts due to its health tracking capabilities. It was mostly received well, but its two to three-hour battery life and $199 initial price turned some consumers off. Samsung could simply redo the Gear IconX with built -in Bixby voice support and with better battery life. That should be a killer combo that could give the Apple AirPods a run for its money.