Samsung is poised to launch a smartphone subscription service, potentially allowing customers to rent the upcoming Galaxy S25 and other Galaxy phones instead of buying them outright. Rumors of this service surfaced at CES 2025, with reports suggesting Samsung CEO and Vice Chairman Han Jong-hee announced plans to unveil the program at the Galaxy Unpacked event.
The service, tentatively named the “AI Subscription Club,” is slated to launch globally in February, following a two-month trial period in South Korea. While the “AI” in the name seems to be a mistranslation, and the final name may differ, the core concept involves users paying a monthly fee for their chosen phone. This allows customers to experience the device before committing to a full purchase. Details regarding pricing and potential tiered subscription options, similar to streaming services like Netflix and Disney+, remain unclear. The program will also reportedly extend to Samsung tablets.
Samsung’s venture into hardware subscriptions mirrors a similar, albeit abandoned, initiative by Apple. Reports indicate Apple had been developing a hardware subscription service alongside its Apple Pay group since 2022, aiming for a launch by the end of that year. However, software challenges and regulatory hurdles led to delays and ultimate cancellation in late 2024. This followed Apple’s decision to shut down its Apple Pay Later service in June 2024, after integrating third-party loan services into iOS 18. Google also experimented with a phone subscription model, the Google Pixel Pass, which bundled YouTube Premium and Google Play Pass access, but discontinued it in 2023.
This new subscription model from Samsung could revolutionize how consumers acquire and experience smartphones, offering flexibility and potentially lowering the barrier to entry for premium devices.
