Samsung is already working on getting into the smart speaker market. DJ Koh, president of Samsung’s mobile division, confirmed the news to CNBC today at its Galaxy Note 8 event, saying the product would launch "soon." That timeline isn't specific, but at least it's something. Koh says he's already working on the device and wants to create a "fruitful user experience at home with Samsung devices, and [he] want[s] to be moving quite heavily on it."

He didn't say whether the speaker would feature the company's new digital assistant, Bixby, but I think it's safe to assume that would be the case. Samsung has already started including the assistant in its connected refrigerators and says it wants to eventually install it across its product portfolio, including in TVs and wearables.

The key problem would seem to be that Bixby isn't very good. Google Assistant, Alexa, and Siri already work decently well, and Bixby has catching up to do, but maybe Samsung loyalists will want the assistant to run their house. Bixby is already available in more than 200 countries.