- There have been rumors of a Galaxy AI subscription
- Samsung has just confirmed many features will stay free
- But it’s not clear how Galaxy AI may evolve in the future
Samsung certainly hasn’t been shy about stuffing AI features into its phones and other devices in recent years, and there has been some uncertainty over whether these features might eventually cost money – but we now have a bit more clarity.
Speaking to Android Police at this week’s Galaxy Unpacked event, a Samsung representative said that Galaxy AI features that are “on your phone by default” are always going to be available for free.
That includes Live Translate, Note Assist, Zoom Nightography, Writing Assist, Drawing Assist, Now Brief, and the Audio Eraser. There’s a full list here of everything you get, AI-wise, when you buy a new Samsung phone or tablet.
What’s not immediately clear is which AI features might not be covered – at the moment, there aren’t any Galaxy AI add-ons that don’t come bundled with devices, though perhaps we might see some introduced in the future.
The Gemini model
There is of course a freemium model to the Gemini AI assistant that now appears on most Android devices, including Samsung phones and tablets. Paying for Google AI Pro or Google AI Ultra gets you more features and access to better AI models.
Google AI Pro starts at $19.99 / £18.99 / AU$32.99 and includes extras such as 2TB of Google cloud storage, but you often get a few months free. If you buy one of the Google Pixel 9 phones, you get a full year of use before you have to start paying.
The newly-announced Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 come with six months free, and clearly Google is hoping that by the time that free period is up, you won’t be able to live without all the AI goodness you get with a subscription.
Samsung has dropped hints about introducing a Samsung Health subscription package, granting you extra features for a monthly fee, so it’s possible that some additional AI tools might be included in that – though we’ll have to wait and see.
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