Samsung unveiled several new home appliances, technologies, and TVs at the CES 2024 expo last week. Among those devices was Ballie, an ‘AI Companion' robot that Samsung first unveiled four years ago at CES 2020. It was certainly among the most talked-about devices at CES 2024. Ballie has received several changes, including a new design, a built-in projector, and integration with SmartThings. Many of its new capabilities come as a part of updated software.
The South Korean firm has revealed that Ballie runs Tizen OS. Tizen was earlier limited to Samsung's smart TVs and the Family Hub refrigerator lineup. However, over the past couple of years, Samsung has expanded it to more device types. The company's smart and high-end monitors now run Tizen, and so do its new cooking range, microwave, and washers. Ballie is a whole new addition to Tizen, and the operating system helps connect with the user's other Samsung devices. We had a chance to check out Ballie at Samsung's booth at CES 2024, and you can see our video below.
Since it runs Tizen OS and has a built-in projector, it can display a smart TV-like UI on any surface, such as the roof or a wall. You can watch movies or TV shows, stream music, control your smart home devices, and even find your phone when it's lost. It syncs with your Samsung Account ID, which means it fully integrates with your phones, tablets, and other Samsung devices. When you are working out, it can display metrics from your Galaxy Watch, making it easier to have a glance at important data. You may also be able to play games via streaming from the cloud through Samsung Gaming Hub. With the built-in camera, you can keep an eye on your home or on your pet when you're not around.
Samsung is planning to bring Tizen to even more devices in the future. Kim Yong-Jae, Vice President of Samsung Electronics Visual Display Business Division, said, “Samsung's Tizen OS applied to AI companion Boli will be applicable not only to existing TVs, monitors, and home appliances but also to a variety of products. We will work with various partners by focusing on scalability and versatility. We will continue to cooperate.”
Samsung hasn't announced the pricing or availability of Ballie, but we could hear about it later this year.
