Do you recall Samsung's Ballie home robot? It might finally be making progress toward becoming a reality.

      Leaked app wireframes provide the strongest indication yet that Samsung's Ballie home robot, initially revealed at CES 2020, may still be on track for an actual launch.

      Samsung’s rolling home robot has been the industry’s longest-running source of speculation about its potential release, and I must confess that I had mostly lost hope. However, there is now a faint sign of promise.

      Ballie was first introduced as a concept at CES 2020. Four years later, Samsung showcased a significantly improved version. Nonetheless, the company has never confirmed a release date or committed to launching it.

      So, what has this leak actually uncovered?

      SammyGuru has secured the first images of Ballie’s companion smartphone app. To me, it resembles a wireframe design draft rather than a finished product, but it certainly warrants attention.

      The home screen displays a status card indicating Ballie’s battery level, current location, and any error notifications. Next to this is a prominent “Streaming” button, which seemingly allows users to view the robot’s camera feed and control it remotely from their smartphones.

      The app also features room-specific shortcuts, enabling users to direct Ballie to patrol the house or greet visitors at the front door. One screenshot illustrates a setup process where Ballie maps out the home in a manner similar to how robot vacuum cleaners operate.

      What capabilities does Ballie have, and is this really coming to fruition?

      For context, Ballie is intended to respond to voice commands, manage smart home devices, project video onto walls (which I believe is its most impressive feature), and act as a mobile security camera when the user is away.

      However, it's important to stay realistic. This is merely a wireframe, and there’s no confirmation that Samsung is developing a functional version of this specific app, much less a viable version of the smart home robot itself. Yet after months of complete silence, even a design mock-up serves as the most tangible indication that Ballie hasn’t quietly faded away in Samsung’s prototype archive.

      Ballie’s six-year uncertainty reflects the fate of many ambitious CES concepts that disappear without an official cancellation. The leak hints at ongoing internal development, but Samsung's persistent silence regarding the release timeline leads me to view this as a hopeful sign.

      For over five years, Shikhar has consistently simplified advances in consumer tech and presented them…

      Google has made strides in improving robot balance, dexterity, and teamwork capabilities.

      Google DeepMind has advanced the development of sci-fi robots, making it more thrilling than ever. Expanding on its original Gemini Robotics model, the company has launched Gemini Robotics 2, an AI system designed to enhance robots' cognitive abilities, movement, and collaborative efforts. Unlike the majority of current robots, which depend on pre-set routines or remote control, this new AI enables robots to navigate uncertainties independently.

      Can robots finally manage complete-body tasks?

      The AI browser competition is evolving. After focusing much of 2025 on reimagining web search with integrated chatbots, startups are increasingly directing their resources toward browser agents that can automate repetitive tasks rather than merely responding to inquiries. Polar, a startup established by former Perplexity engineer Kevin Zhang and funded with $5.7 million in seed investment led by Madrona, has recently embraced this shift. Unlike the first generation of AI browsers aimed at everyday consumers, Polar caters specifically to knowledge workers. Its straightforward goal is to streamline repetitive tasks performed across numerous browser tabs daily rather than compete with Google Search.

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      I have been using ChatGPT for several years, but for a long time, I saw no reason to pay for it. Instead, I subscribed to Claude Pro, which better suited my workflow. With regular chat and Cowork features, it provided everything I needed in one platform, making a second AI subscription unnecessary.

      That changed when OpenAI launched ChatGPT Work. Curious, I decided to give ChatGPT Pro a fair chance, expecting to test a new feature and move on. Instead, I found myself using it far more than anticipated. The more I incorporated it into my daily tasks, the more I recognized it offered several features I wasn't willing to forgo. These are the three features that have kept me contently subscribed ever since.