Samsung’s smart speaker could undercut HomePod with a price point around $200

Samsung’s smart home speaker is in the works and should release during the first half of 2018.

Bloomberg reported yesterday that the accessory will run Samsung’s personal digital assistant Bixby and focus on sound quality and integration with other smart home devices.

The company is expected to undercut the $349 HomePod: the Bloomberg report stated that the South Korean conglomerate is reportedly weighing a price point around $200.

The device should let customers conduct voice-based web searches as well.

From the report:

One prototype version of the Samsung speaker in testing is between the size of Amazon’s latest Echo and the HomePod, one of the people said. The company is considering releasing the speaker in different colors, and the prototype seen had a matte black color.

It also, like HomePod, lacks a screen but lights up on top for limited visual feedback. In the past, Samsung has considered developing a speaker with a touchscreen similar to Amazon’s Echo Show, according to the person.

The gadget will run Bixby, Samsung’s digital assistant that rivals Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant. It will also synchronize with TVs, Galaxy smartphones and other Samsung devices, the people also said.

The Samsung smart speaker should be available in multiple markets. Patrick Chomet, a Samsung executive who joined last year, is heading the project. Back in August, Samsung’s DJ Koh said the company was working on a smart speaker without sharing details.

This comes as Apple recently delayed its Siri-powered HomePod smart home speaker, which was supposed to release this month with a strong focus on sound quality.

Would you be interested in a Samsung-branded wireless speaker?

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