Bixby is here to stay. At least that is what we can infer from a trademark application filed by Samsung in Korea for a smart speaker in the likes of Google’s Assistant powered Google Home, Amazon’s Alexa and the Siri powered Apple HomePod. Even though we have been hearing rumors of a Bixby powered smart home device since the first version of Bixby was announced alongside the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, we now have a solid hunch on what Samsung might be trying to do.
Samsung Electronics reportedly filed a trademark application for a smart home speaker “Magbee” with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on 28th of November last year which has been registered on 6th July.
The information on the website sheds light on Samsung Magbee, a Magnetic Beetle, (hence the name) a sleek wireless dial wheel. The device is reportedly being made by Harman, which was acquired by Samsung. Harman is known for their high-end audio devices so the Magbee will please audiophiles.
Samsung has received a lot of applause for the dial they introduced on the Samsung Galaxy Gear S2 which has been carried over to the Gear S3. This might be one of the reasons that compelled them to use a dial on the Magbee too. Since Samsung has a rather respectable market share on TVs, and almost half of all 75-inch TVs sold are from Samsung, they may bring Bixby to TVs as well in the near future. This puts them at an advantage over their competitors.
There is no word on the size of the device as of now but trademark applications filed across the US and EU says they vary from a small-sized dial to a big home theatre. The device has passed wireless consortium certifications and is expected to show its face alongside the Galaxy Note 9 during its launch in Brooklyn, New York on the 9th of August this year.
