Samsung is said to be developing a new Apple News clone that will launch alongside the Galaxy Note 8 next month.
Unlike Apple’s version, Samsung’s will support voice commands, as well as podcast integration.
Apple News may or may not be a smash hit, but it’s a great way to keep track of your favorite news sources on iOS. It brings everything together in one place and makes the day’s top stories incredibly easy to find. If you don’t have time to trawl through the news, it’s ideal.
Samsung already has its own competitor powered by Flipboard. It’s called Upday in most markets and it’s powered by Flipboard. But according to “trusted sources” for SamMobile, the South Korean company is developing a newer, better news app.
“According to the information we’ve received from trusted sources, Samsung is working on a news app called News Today,” it claims. “It supports podcasts, so users can search and subscribe to various podcast providers and channels.”
Another advantage News Today might have over Apple News is support for Bixby Voice, which will give users the ability to play and control podcasts while driving. It could even read news snippets and headlines, so you can catch up, hands-free.
It’s thought News Today will also be integrated into Samsung’s rumored Bixby smart speaker. However, that seems some way off, with Bixby Voice yet to make its official debut outside of South Korea due to Samsung’s struggle to add other languages.
The Galaxy Note 8 will make its debut during the second half of August, according to a recent report, which cites an unnamed official at the company. That will give it around a month to rack up sales before the iPhone 8 arrives — assuming Apple’s new handset isn’t delayed.
