Subscriptions are all the rage these days, and here comes another one.
According to ETNews, Samsung plans to offer a subscription service for Galaxy smartphones and its Ballie home robot in Korea. This AI Subscription Club is not related to Samsung’s Galaxy AI service. Membership covers the cost of a device plus related maintenance services.
Galaxy phones will be available with the AI Subscription Club beginning next month, according to Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Han Jong-hee. Samsung’s personal assistant robot will also be available through a subscription.
Ballie is Samsung’s round AI home companion robot. A promotional video shows that it can entertain pets, activate home routines, and project videos. The same teaser shows a person picking up the robot to make a video call, and Ballie projects the conversation on the wall. It can also be your workout buddy, counting your sit-ups and squats.
Ballie was first revealed in 2020, but Samsung says it will be available in Korea and the US in the first half of 2025. The company demoed a working version of Ballie at CES 2025, though its real-life performance remains to be seen. Pricing information is unknown, but Amazon’s own home robot, Astro costs $1,599.99.
ETNews didn’t say if the AI Subscription Club will hit the US and pricing wasn’t disclosed.
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Apple offers a similar service for its iPhones called the iPhone Upgrade Program, which offers a new iPhone every year and includes AppleCare+. It could be to Samsung’s benefit to offer its own service in the US.
Samsung has already announced that it will introduce the next generation of Galaxy S devices at Unpacked on Jan. 22, which could be the perfect time to unveil its new AI Subscription Club.
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About Iyaz Akhtar
Mobile Analyst
