After several years of silence and some punctual appearances at CES, Samsung puts Ballie on the spotlight. This spherical robot, which holds as much from the gadget as from the domestic assistant, will land this summer-but only in South Korea and the United States. No specific date, no Price (which means: very expensive), and not the slightest technical sheet for the moment, but a promise: that of an intelligent and cute companion, capable of managing everyday life, and with a smile.
A rolling ball for the connected house
For this new version, Samsung is based on a strategic alliance with Google. Ballie now integrates Gemini, the artificial intelligence model of the research giant. This allows him to understand vocal orders, to converse in a natural way and to offer visual and sound interactions thanks to his sensors and his integrated projector.
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Samsung explains that Ballie can in particular manage the connected objects of the house, welcome visitors, adjust the lighting or project presentations on the walls. He will even be able to offer personalized suggestions for health or style. In a press release, the manufacturer specifies that Ballie will use ” Homemade language models In addition to those of Google, to offer clothing or capillary advice, for example.
Presented for the first time in 2020 in the form of a simple concept, Ballie had made a strong impression thanks to her futuristic tennis ball look and his fun functions. Then, radio silence. He briefly resurfaced during these 2024, before returning to these 2025 again, this time with the promise of imminent marketing.
But caution remains in order. Samsung is customary for spectacular announcements followed by delays – or even abandonments. Between the ambitions displayed and the reality of the market, there is sometimes a chasm. Ballie, as friendly as it is, has so far been seen in very framed demo. No test in real conditions, no truly spontaneous interaction.
Competition does not remain its arms crossed. Amazon launched in preliminary version Alexa+, an evolution of its vocal assistant supposed to manage the house with more natural orders. But here again, the promises have not yet been held, certain functions such as the food products orders being absent at the moment.
The economic context also complicates the situation. Samsung must deal with the uncertainties linked to the customs prices imposed by the Trump administration, which could influence the price and the availability of the robot. We can therefore expect a cautious launch … and a rather salty rate.
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