After years of waiting, this adorable Samsung gadget may never launch
Ballie to stay an innovation platform rather than a consumer gadget.
After years of speculation, Samsung fans finally have an answer about Ballie, the adorable household robot the company first showed off six years ago: it’s not coming to market – at least not anytime soon.
Reportedly, Samsung has once again put Ballie on the back burner. Originally unveiled in 2020, the robot was expected to make its long-awaited debut last year, with a summer 2025 release hinted at. But that window came and went, and Samsung has decided not to launch Ballie as a consumer product for the foreseeable future.
The robot, designed to roll around and navigate the home autonomously, was completely missing from CES 2026, one of the biggest electronics trade shows of the year. And now, according to a recent report, Samsung has “indefinitely shelved” the project.
Still, a spokesperson for the company explained that Ballie isn’t gone entirely – it will continue to exist as an “active innovation platform” for internal development.
So, while there is still a tiny chance Ballie could eventually hit stores, it seems increasingly unlikely. Six years after its CES 2020 debut, two years after a larger redesigned version appeared, and following last year’s announcement that Samsung partnered with Google to integrate the Gemini AI platform into the robot, Ballie now appears destined to remain a concept rather than a consumer-ready device.
That said, Samsung has clearly taken lessons from Ballie and applied them to other smart home products, like robot vacuums and connected devices.
It’s a little disappointing, since Ballie looked like a genuinely fun gadget. But to be fair, experimental devices like this face tough challenges, especially with the rising cost of components like RAM. Full production for a niche, high-tech product can be risky.
Still, I’m confident Samsung won’t leave us empty-handed when it comes to smart home tech. The company seems committed to expanding its home device lineup, similar to other tech giants.
Apple, for instance, is also reportedly working on its own smart home products, potentially including a robot of some kind – not the same as Ballie, but more like a hub with a screen and a robotic arm. Details are scarce, so we’ll have to wait for official announcements, which might happen soon.
Honestly, I loved the idea of Ballie – and its cute design – but it’s probably a gadget people don’t really need yet. Plus, it would have come with a high price tag for tasks that are mostly convenience rather than necessity.
Ballie is off the table – for now
Reportedly, Samsung has once again put Ballie on the back burner. Originally unveiled in 2020, the robot was expected to make its long-awaited debut last year, with a summer 2025 release hinted at. But that window came and went, and Samsung has decided not to launch Ballie as a consumer product for the foreseeable future.
Still, a spokesperson for the company explained that Ballie isn’t gone entirely – it will continue to exist as an “active innovation platform” for internal development.
After multiple years of real-world testing, it continues to inform how Samsung designs spatially aware, context-driven experiences, particularly in areas like smart home intelligence, ambient AI and privacy-by-design.
– Samsung spokesperson, January 2026
So, while there is still a tiny chance Ballie could eventually hit stores, it seems increasingly unlikely. Six years after its CES 2020 debut, two years after a larger redesigned version appeared, and following last year’s announcement that Samsung partnered with Google to integrate the Gemini AI platform into the robot, Ballie now appears destined to remain a concept rather than a consumer-ready device.
Video credit – Samsung
A fun gadget that never arrived
It’s a little disappointing, since Ballie looked like a genuinely fun gadget. But to be fair, experimental devices like this face tough challenges, especially with the rising cost of components like RAM. Full production for a niche, high-tech product can be risky.
Still, I’m confident Samsung won’t leave us empty-handed when it comes to smart home tech. The company seems committed to expanding its home device lineup, similar to other tech giants.
Apple, for instance, is also reportedly working on its own smart home products, potentially including a robot of some kind – not the same as Ballie, but more like a hub with a screen and a robotic arm. Details are scarce, so we’ll have to wait for official announcements, which might happen soon.
Ballie’s appeal vs its reality
Honestly, I loved the idea of Ballie – and its cute design – but it’s probably a gadget people don’t really need yet. Plus, it would have come with a high price tag for tasks that are mostly convenience rather than necessity.
While it could have handled chores like feeding your dog (yep, Samsung proudly advertised exactly this), I guess the cost-to-benefit ratio wouldn’t be very appealing, and apparently, Samsung realized that, too.
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