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Samsung’s “next month” smartphone subscription launch was January 24, 2025, in South Korea—not a worldwide phone-rental launch. The Korean program ties a phone purchase to Samsung Care+, a conditional return-value guarantee and other benefits. Samsung’s Korean program has since evolved, while a separate U.S. Galaxy upgrade offer was limited to selected Galaxy S25 purchases made before June 20, 2025.
What Samsung announced in January 2025
Samsung announced its New Galaxy AI Subscription Club in South Korea on January 19, 2025, and said it would start January 24 alongside the Galaxy S25 launch. It applied to eligible unlocked Galaxy phones bought through Samsung’s Korean retail and online channels. The program paired a monthly service fee with Samsung Care+, accessory benefits and a guaranteed residual value if the customer returned the phone under the program’s conditions. Samsung’s launch announcement listed 12- and 24-month terms and a ₩5,900 monthly fee.
This is best understood as a purchase-linked protection and upgrade arrangement, not as an open-ended rental in which customers pay only to use a handset. The phone purchase or financing cost is distinct from the recurring club fee.
How the return-value guarantee works
At launch, Samsung said a qualifying phone returned after 12 months could receive a guaranteed value of up to 50% of Samsung’s reference price; after 24 months, the figure was up to 40%. Those percentages describe conditional return value, not a discount at checkout, cash paid while keeping the phone, or necessarily half of what the customer spent in total.
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Samsung’s current Korean program materials describe a designated Mintit return process and condition requirements. The phone generally must be returned in working order, and the user must remove their account. Samsung lists damage such as cracked glass or back panels, a bent body or lifted housing, and inability to power the phone on or off among exclusions that can affect eligibility. A lost or stolen phone should not be assumed to qualify for the residual-value guarantee just because a Care+ plan may apply; the relevant Care+ policy and club terms govern those separate questions.
Samsung says early return may be possible, but remaining fees for the selected term may still be due. Its Korean materials also say cancellation does not refund previously paid fees and ends benefits such as Care+ and residual-value protection. Read the terms for the specific model and term before enrolling. See Samsung’s Korean AI Subscription Club terms.
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What it costs: Korean launch pricing and current Korean pricing
The original ₩5,900 monthly fee was launch pricing, not a current universal price. Samsung’s current Korean guide lists different fees for newer phones and terms. For Galaxy S26 models, the guide lists ₩6,900 per month for 12- and 24-month plans, or ₩8,900 per month for a 36-month plan. These are South Korean prices; taxes, coverage and terms differ by market, so they should not be converted into an assumed U.S. price. Check Samsung’s current Korean guide for eligible devices, fee details and purchase-channel restrictions.
For a useful cost comparison, add the phone’s purchase or financing payments and every club fee, then subtract only the residual-value credit or trade-in value the buyer actually qualifies to receive. Include any Care+ charges that apply. The advertised residual percentage alone cannot establish a final cost without the exact model price, taxes, financing terms and return outcome.
South Korea and the United States are not the same offer
Samsung’s U.S. New Galaxy Club was a separate, limited program associated with selected Galaxy S25 purchases. Samsung’s U.S. page listed monthly fees and a future-phone credit, but that offer should not be confused with the Korean club or treated as current open enrollment.
| Feature | South Korea: New Galaxy AI Subscription Club | United States: New Galaxy Club |
|---|---|---|
| Launch context | Announced January 19, 2025; began January 24, 2025, alongside the Galaxy S25 launch. | Offered with selected Galaxy S25 purchases under separate U.S. terms. |
| Monthly fee | ₩5,900 at launch. Samsung’s current Korean guide lists ₩6,900 monthly for Galaxy S26 12- and 24-month plans, and ₩8,900 for a 36-month plan. | The U.S. page listed $6.20 monthly for Galaxy S25 and $8.33 for S25+ or S25 Ultra. |
| Protection and benefits | Samsung Care+ and accessory benefits were part of the purchase-linked package; current details vary by model and term. | The U.S. terms described one year of Samsung Care+ benefits; full Care+ pricing could begin from month 13 unless canceled. |
| Return or upgrade value | At launch, up to 50% of Samsung’s reference price after 12 months or up to 40% after 24 months, subject to return conditions. | The page described a 50% MSRP-based credit toward a future phone when program conditions were met. |
| Eligibility and status | Current Korean materials tie eligibility to qualifying devices purchased through Samsung’s Korean online store or Galaxy Campus; carrier-purchased phones do not qualify for this specific program. | Samsung said selected S25 models had to be purchased before June 20, 2025. The listed offer is not a general current U.S. launch. |
For the U.S. terms and cutoff, consult Samsung’s New Galaxy Club page. For standalone protection information, see Samsung Care+. A fee shown on a program page is not proof that a reader can newly enroll: confirm eligibility for the exact phone at checkout.
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Does the subscription mean Galaxy AI features now require a fee?
No such conclusion follows from the program announcement. “AI” is part of the Korean club’s name, but the announced monthly charge was for a broader phone-purchase package involving protection, return value and accessory benefits. It was not an announcement that all built-in Galaxy AI features had become a paid subscription. Third-party AI trials or services on a phone may have their own separate terms, which should be checked independently.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to decide whether a phone club is worth it
It may suit frequent upgraders
- You regularly replace your phone after 12, 24 or 36 months.
- You buy through an eligible Samsung channel and want Samsung Care+ protection.
- You prefer a stated return-value framework to relying entirely on resale prices.
- You are willing to return the phone in the required condition and follow the account-removal and return process.
Buying outright may suit long-term owners
- You keep phones for three years or longer, want to keep the device, or prefer to choose your own resale channel.
- You dislike recurring charges or return-condition requirements.
- You rarely damage phones and may not value bundled protection enough to justify the fee.
- You may switch brands or have access to a better independent resale or trade-in value.
Compare carrier financing on total cost
A carrier promotion may be more attractive when its trade-in credits exceed the value you expect from Samsung’s guarantee. But compare the full required plan cost, how long bill credits run, and what happens if you switch carriers, cancel service or pay off the phone early. A headline “free phone” offer is not directly comparable to a club fee without those figures.
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For any route, use the same model, storage configuration, purchase price, taxes and ownership period. Compare: (1) phone payments plus club fees and any required protection charges, less qualifying return value; (2) outright purchase plus expected resale proceeds; and (3) carrier payments and plan costs, less promotional credits. Because resale prices and carrier promotions vary, there is no single total-cost winner for every buyer.
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What to check before enrolling
- Confirm your country, exact phone model, purchase channel and purchase date satisfy the program’s current eligibility rules.
- Read the term, monthly fee, Care+ coverage and any charges that begin after an included protection period.
- Find the return deadline, required return channel, device-condition standard and account-removal steps.
- Check whether early cancellation or return leaves fees payable, and what happens to protection and residual-value benefits.
- Decide whether you intend to return the phone or keep it; do not count a conditional return value as a discount if you plan to retain the handset.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
