Exclusive: Samsung Is Testing a Galaxy AI Premium Subscription

Samsung is developing a paid Galaxy AI Premium subscription that could launch alongside the Galaxy S27 series and One UI 9.5 early next year, according to multiple reports citing leaked code and internal strings. The subscription, referred to as the "Max plan" in app code, is priced at $4.99 per month or $47.99 annually and provides four times the current usage limits for features such as Photo Assist and Browsing Assist, Android Police reported. Samsung is also testing the subscription through an early access program, with a credit-pack option for users who exceed free-tier limits but do not want a full subscription.

The free tier will continue to include Browsing Assist, Now Brief, Creative Studio, Smart Capture, Samsung Keyboard, Photo Assist, and Personal Agent, though these will be subject to usage limits, Notebookcheck reported. Premium features gated behind the Max plan include Gen Video for generating videos from photos, Bixby Actions for automating tasks in apps, and Daily Briefing, described as an enhanced version of Now Brief. Android Police noted that Samsung could initially limit these new AI features to the Galaxy S27 series.

The move follows a pattern set by Google and Apple, where advanced AI capabilities are restricted to higher-tier subscription plans. Google's latest Gemini models require an AI Pro plan starting at $19.99 per month, Android Police reported. Samsung originally stated in 2024 that Galaxy AI features would remain free for only a year, but has continued offering them free for over two years despite adding new features.

One UI 9.5 beta firmware for the Galaxy S26 Ultra has already appeared on Samsung's Korean and US update servers, signaling an imminent beta launch, Engadget reported. The beta is expected to open in early December or possibly November, following the pattern of One UI 8.5 which launched to testers on December 8, 2025. The stable One UI 9.5 release is timed for the Galaxy S27 launch, likely in January or February 2027. The beta will initially be available in Germany, India, Poland, South Korea, the UK, and the US for unlocked devices.