Samsung AI Subscription Club will allow phone rentals

Samsung Electronics will launch an “AI Subscription Club” that will let customers rent Galaxy smartphones and other devices. 

South Korean tech publication ET News reported that Samsung’s “Ballie” Ai bot will also be available as a subscription model.

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ET says consumers are struggling to purchase smartphones, even with card installments. 

The AI Subscription Club could enable customers to continue enjoying the latest Samsung products. 

On December 1, 2024, Samsung Electronics introduced this service for its home appliances.

Consequently, subscription sales made up 30 percent of home appliance sales three weeks after its introduction.

Samsung Vice Chairman Han Jong-hee mentioned the AI Subscription Club during the CES 2025 opening: 

“We will apply the subscription service to Galaxy smartphones starting next month.”

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“Ballie will be introduced first in Korea and the US, and we plan to supply it as a subscription in Korea.”

The Club will coincide with the Galaxy S25 smartphone series’ launch, so buyers might rent this device instead.

As the name suggests, Ballie is a round AI robot that can navigate through homes with its sensors. 

It can project movies and answer voice questions like a ChatGPT bot in a mechanical pet.

However, Samsung hasn’t shared more details about the bot, such as its specific release schedule and price.