Samsung's Ballie, a home robot first introduced in 2020, will not be released as initially envisioned. The South Korean tech firm had presented Ballie as a potential smart home companion, showcasing its capabilities at various tech events.

First displayed at CES 2020, Ballie was demonstrated using facial recognition to follow its owner and interact with smart home devices. A marketing video showed the robot activating a smart vacuum cleaner in response to a detected mess. Ars Technica reported at the time that Ballie was the most developed concept Samsung had on display.

The robot resurfaced at CES 2024 with a redesigned, larger spherical form factor and three wheels. This iteration featured a light ring and the ability to function as a projector, with Samsung claiming it could project for two to three hours on a single charge. The demonstration also included Ballie connecting with a smartphone.

Despite the promising demonstrations, Samsung has not provided a reason for the change in direction. The initial timeline suggested a potential release in summer 2025. The cancellation reflects the challenges inherent in developing consumer-ready robotics, particularly in achieving reliable performance and justifying the cost for widespread adoption. The industry impact is that companies may be more cautious about announcing specific release dates for advanced robotics projects until they are closer to market readiness.