Samsung reportedly eyes first half of 2018 for smart speaker debut

Astonishingly, Apple's long-delayed HomePod speaker might not be the last to market when it launches early next year. Samsung will release its own smart speaker in the first half of 2018, according to a Bloomberg report. Unsurprisingly, it will reportedly run Bixby, Samsung's personal assistant rivaling Siri and Alexa, and may be priced at $200. The yet-untitled speaker will focus on audio quality and managing smart home devices, sources told Bloomberg. It will also work with the SmartThings service and product network, the company Samsung acquired back in 2014.