Samsung Galaxy Home will fight smart speakers from Apple, Amazon & Google

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in General Discussion
In addition to revealing the Galaxy Note9, one of Samsung's other product announcements on Thursday was the Galaxy Home, the company's first smartspeaker.

Samsung Galaxy Home


The device is based on Samsung's Bixby voice assistant, and has eight far-field microphones. Speaker technology comes courtesy of Samsung's AKG, and the device will have a built-in SmartThings hub to connect smarthome accessories.

Little else has been revealed so far, but a partnership with Spotify should make the latter's music easier to move between Samsung devices. An unusual design touch is that the base is supported by three metal legs -- most smartspeakers, such as Apple's HomePod, sit directly on a surface.

More details will be announced at a developers' conference in November.

Samsung faces an uphill battle, given overwhelming control of the smartspeaker market by Amazon and Google. Even Apple's HomePod has just a 6 percent install base in the U.S., which may be why the company is rumored to be considering a cheaper version.

Many Amazon and Google speaker owners also have multiple units, meaning they're unlikely to switch ecosystems.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 39
    ihatescreennamesihatescreennames Posts: 1,904member
    I was thinking about Bixby last night and it occurred to me, I don’t think it was included in that test a week or so ago.  If my memory is accurate, that test only covered, Siri, Google Assistant, Alexa and Corana.  Too bad, I’m curious to know how Bixby is doing.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 39
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,212member
    Samsung says it can detect a listener's location and direct audio to that spot by speaking "Hi Bixby, Steer Sound". Like other recent higher end smart speakers it can also adapt sound to the shape of the room. But the design! Ugh!
    edited August 2018 muthuk_vanalingambigpics
  • Reply 3 of 39
    jdgazjdgaz Posts: 404member
    Will they give this away along with a refrigerator purchase?
    chabigclaire1watto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 39
    nunzynunzy Posts: 662member
    The  sooner Samsung is destroyed the better off Apple will be. Apple can't do nothing without Samsung copying.

    Samsung never had an original idea ever. They just copy Apple.

  • Reply 5 of 39
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,727member
    Gosh what a shock!
    edited August 2018 cornchipwatto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 39
    king editor the grateking editor the grate Posts: 646member
    Buh, Scamdung, the 1950s called. They want their design back.

    That thing is rocking some Sputnik action.
    edited August 2018 cornchipwatto_cobrabigpics
  • Reply 7 of 39
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    gatorguy said:
    Samsung says it can detect a listener's location and direct audio to that spot by speaking "Hi Bixby, Steer Sound". Like other recent higher end smart speakers it can also adapt sound to the shape of the room. But the design! Ugh!
    1) I don't think the design is bad. It looks like the stuff I see in higher-end home stores.

    2) Should the user really have to steer the sound as they move around the space? I'm not opposed to the option if there are multiple people, pets and other things that could affect how the sound is focused, but I'd hope that it would auto-steer the sound so that the user can move about the space with the best possible sound. Maybe one day it could be as consistent as walking around with quality headphones on.
    cornchipwatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 39
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,212member
    Soli said:
    gatorguy said:
    Samsung says it can detect a listener's location and direct audio to that spot by speaking "Hi Bixby, Steer Sound". Like other recent higher end smart speakers it can also adapt sound to the shape of the room. But the design! Ugh!

    2) Should the user really have to steer the sound as they move around the space? I'm not opposed to the option if there are multiple people, pets and other things that could affect how the sound is focused, but I'd hope that it would auto-steer the sound so that the user can move about the space with the best possible sound. Maybe one day it could be as consistent as walking around with quality headphones on.
    That would require constant scanning and sensing. Even Apple's Homepod only does so when it's first set-up or moved. This would at least be a one-up on that assuming it actually works. 


    ... and I still think the shape and tripod legs, at least what we've seen of it, is horrid. Looks like 1950's design IMHO. ;)
    king editor the gratemuthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 9 of 39
    anantksundaramanantksundaram Posts: 20,404member
    I can see that it's going to be an udder success...

    (Groan. What a horrendously ugly-looking thing. I really do feel badly for their lack of design skills.)
    Solimuthuk_vanalingamwatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 39
    ericthehalfbeeericthehalfbee Posts: 4,486member
    Technically speaking, with the vast resources within Harmon (of which I own 6 figures plus of their professional gear), they should be able to come out with a phenomenal home speaker. If they don't, then Samsung blew a huge opportunity to incorporate a portion of the enormous amount of IP Harmon has regarding all aspects of sound.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 39
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    anantksundaram said:
    I can see that it's going to be an udder success...
    💯
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 39
    foregoneconclusionforegoneconclusion Posts: 2,675member
    Looks like a cross between a fondue pot and a votive candle.
    king editor the gratewatto_cobrabigpics
  • Reply 13 of 39
    FolioFolio Posts: 698member
    foregoneconclusion said:
    Looks like a cross between a fondue pot and a votive candle.
    Yes! As Samsung is into kitchen appliances, it looks like it might convert into a hotpot, or maybe a hibachi.
    claire1watto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 39
    FolioFolio Posts: 698member
    This "home made" contraption kinda tarnishes the whole Galaxy name brand. What the heck are they thinking? I'm almost embarrassed for them. Yet as an Apple stockholder I do hope they advertise it like crazy.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 39
    maciekskontaktmaciekskontakt Posts: 1,169member
    gatorguy said:
    Samsung says it can detect a listener's location and direct audio to that spot by speaking "Hi Bixby, Steer Sound". Like other recent higher end smart speakers it can also adapt sound to the shape of the room. But the design! Ugh!
    Tri-legged kettle
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 39
    melotronmelotron Posts: 12member
    I just don't want the same pills they are eating at Samsungs design department. 
    king editor the gratewatto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 39
    mjtomlinmjtomlin Posts: 2,673member
    and has eight far-field microphones

    See it is better, it has one more microphone than the HomePod!!!

    Seriously, you damn well know that 8th one was put in just to make the above statement, as there's no technical reason for it.
    claire1lordjohnwhorfinwatto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 39
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    mjtomlin said:
    and has eight far-field microphones
    See it is better, it has one more microphone than the HomePod!!!

    Seriously, you damn well know that 8th one was put in just to make the above statement, as there's no technical reason for it.
    I remember before the HomePod was every announced (perhaps even before it was even being engineered) I was told on this forum that the fact that Amazon uses 7 far-field mics on their Echo is proof that it's a failure because a company with any real engineering talent should be able to do have just one microphone.
  • Reply 19 of 39
    hentaiboyhentaiboy Posts: 1,252member
    At least this device won’t cause another “Ring Gate” fiasco 😂
  • Reply 20 of 39
    BluntBlunt Posts: 224member
    They drew inspiration from a cow i guess.
    watto_cobra
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