Samsung's Anticipated Bixby Smart Speaker May Launch as 'Magbee', Trademark Filings Hint

While its development was well confirmed in the past reports, it has now been suggested that Samsung's Bixby-enabled smart speaker could debut as Magbee. The South Korean giant has filed trademark applications in the US and Europe with the new moniker. To take on Amazon Echo and Google Home families, the Samsung speaker could arrive as early as August 9 - alongside the Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy Watch. The Bixby integration within the upcoming device is likely to enable voice-assisted controls. It is also reported to have a bowl-shaped design with a legged bottom and lights sporting at the top.

As per the trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the new name could be associated with a list of products, including LED display, virtual reality (VR) headsets, network routers, digital door locks, digital signage display panels, semiconductors, or some power banks. However, there is the mentioning of audio speakers and surround sound systems. This hints at the smart speaker development.

The latest trademark application was filed on July 16. But as reported by SamMobile, the Magbee brand with a beetle logo was first spotted in the trademark listings back in December last year. This suggests that the new brand has been in the pipeline at least for some months. Notably, the rumours of the Bixby speaker had also emerged back in July last year.

Alongside the fresh trademark in the US, Samsung has reportedly filed the Magbee brand trademark in Europe. Tipster Ice Universe in a tweet posted an screenshot showing the trademark status of the Magbee brand in Europe. The tipster also highlighted that the new brand could be used for the new artificial intelligence (AI) powered smart speaker.

If we believe some past reports, the Samsung Bixby speaker will have features such as 'sound shifting' to beam the audio in the direction of the user through verbal commands. The bowl-shaped speaker is also claimed to be marketed as a high-end music player at a price of $300 (roughly Rs. 20,700). It is currently said to be in development with codename "Lux".

The official details about the smart speaker are likely to be announced at the forthcoming Galaxy Unpacked event in New York. This will also be the venue where Samsung will unveil the Galaxy Note 9. The event could also be the place for the Galaxy Watch, Galaxy Tab S4, and some other Samsung offerings. The speaker could alternatively be presumed to launch at IFA 2018.