Samsung has bet big on Galaxy AI since the beginning of the year. For Samsung, Galaxy AI has become one of the main selling points of Galaxy devices. It's also a potential new revenue model. Throughout the year, Samsung hinted that the future of Galaxy AI may be a paid one, at least in part, and today, the company did it again.
Samsung announced the Galaxy Tab S10 series and the Galaxy S24 FE this week (September 26). They're as exciting as they can be, but Samsung also took this opportunity to bring us back to the topic of paid Galaxy AI features.
Samsung's press releases for the Galaxy Tab S10 series and Galaxy S24 FE include footnotes regarding the future of Galaxy AI. And to use the company's own words, Samsung says: “Fees may apply to certain AI features at the end of 2025.”
The message is similar to the ones the company shared in January, after the Galaxy S24's release, and in July, days before the Galaxy Z6 lineup went official in Paris.
The future of Galaxy AI is uncertain
Samsung has never specified which Galaxy AI may become paid next year. Earlier this year, the head of Samsung Health, Hon Pak, said the company was considering making a subscription service for the Health app, but that hasn't come to pass.
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The Samsung Health boss also said that Samsung has to offer value for money, which was reassuring. “If you're going to really make me pay for something, you better give me something that's more end-to-end, that's more comprehensive,” Mr. Pak declared in an interview in February (via CNBC).
No matter how we look at it, Samsung appears convinced that the way to move forward in late 2025 and onward is to paywall at least some AI features. With that in mind, we're left wondering which Galaxy AI tools might require a fee next year and which ones will remain free.
Google could force Samsung to start charging fees for AI features
It's worth noting that Samsung has used the term “AI” rather than “Galaxy AI” whenever its press releases mentioned putting a price on these features. Most Galaxy AI tools rely on Google technologies, so it is not inconceivable that Google might want to monetize its AI tools, in which case Samsung would have to follow suit.
Then again, it's quite evident that Samsung has been looking for ways to generate recurring income from paid services and subscriptions for a while. In case you didn't know, a paid service already exists on your Galaxy phone and tablet. It's called Secure Wi-Fi and costs $0.99 for 24 hours of secure Wi-Fi browsing or $1.99 a month.
With that in mind, Samsung is no stranger to the concept of a subscription model. Regardless of whether it's Samsung, Google, or both who pull the trigger, “some” AI features that are now free—or future ones that are still in development—might have a price tag attached at the end of 2025.
