Samsung is finally ready to release its long-teased home robot, Ballie. First shown off at CES 2020, Ballie was Samsung’s vision for a friendly AI assistant that roams around your home. After years of development delays and a couple of redesigns, the company has confirmed that Ballie will be available this summer in the US and South Korea. So, what’s new, what can it do, and how does it stand out in the growing home robot scene? Let’s break it down.
What is Samsung Ballie?
Okay.
So, like I mentioned before, the Samsung Ballie home robot was first introduced at CES 2020, with the company aiming to revolutionize home assistance through AI-driven technology. However, over the past five years, the company faced several challenges that delayed its release.
These included technological hurdles in perfecting its AI capabilities and mobility, as well as the need to ensure seamless integration with a wide range of smart home devices. Moreover, the company took a cautious approach to address privacy and data security concerns, all while striving to create a user-friendly and non-intimidating design. These factors collectively contributed to the extended development timeline.
Fast forward to CES 2024, Samsung offered a refreshed look at Ballie, showcasing a more refined version of the home assistant. Now, that version is finally making its way to store shelves. Ballie sports a ball-shaped design, rolls around on two wheels, and features a compact form factor that blends naturally into home environments without appearing overly robotic.
What can Samsung Ballie do?
Ballie is more than just a rolling companion. It’s equipped with a projector, speaker, and microphone, which enhance its functionality beyond just being a basic robot. It connects to other smart devices through Samsung’s SmartThings platform, which means Ballie can control various devices like lights and thermostats as well.
- Also read
- Samsung unveils a cool real-time visual AI feature for Galaxy S25 series
- Samsung officially confirms One UI 7 update for older devices starting this month
- Samsung launched the world’s most powerful cordless stick vacuum speaker
Advanced AI and interactive features
One of the biggest upgrades to Ballie lies under the hood. To enhance its intelligence, Samsung partnered with Google Cloud to integrate the Gemini AI model, giving Ballie multimodal capabilities and allowing it to process voice commands, audio, and visual input simultaneously.
When combined with Samsung’s own language models, this enables more natural interactions and better real-time adaptation to its surroundings.
As a result, Ballie can understand voice commands, analyze its environment using its built-in camera, and adjust settings based on user behavior. Over time, it learns routines, recognizes faces, and interprets objects in the room. This means it can offer personalized suggestions, like recommending outfits, sharing health tips, or optimizing home settings for better sleep.
And since Ballie features a built-in projector, it can even display information, videos, or reminders on walls, floors, or other surfaces within the home. This adds a visual element, providing a more interactive way to view updates or content. Together, these features allow Ballie to integrate more naturally into a digital home environment.
Market challenges
Samsung is entering a competitive market where major companies like Apple, Meta, Google, and LG are also developing home robots. While the market for general-purpose robots is still evolving, these devices haven’t yet become mainstream, primarily because many lack a clear, everyday use case.
Compared to other tech giants, Samsung’s approach with Ballie seems more focused on mobile, personalized assistance. While Apple and Google are still rooted in static smart speakers or displays. Meta has its Portal line (now discontinued), and LG has experimented with various robotic concepts, but none have seen a proper consumer release like Ballie is set to receive.
Samsung Ballie Price and Availability
So far, Samsung has yet to disclose the exact pricing details for Ballie, though its advanced capabilities suggest it will be a premium product. Furthermore, global trade concerns, including new tariffs in the US, may be contributing factors to the lack of pricing details.
However, the fact that Ballie is finally reaching consumers in the US and South Korea after a five-year wait is a milestone in itself. And whether Ballie becomes a common device in smart homes or just a rare novelty will depend on how well it works in everyday use once it’s available.
- Meanwhile, check out our long-term review of Galaxy S25 Ultra
