Samsung expands AI-as-a-Service: Blue Pass, Copilot on 2025 TVs, TÜV Nord security

Samsung Electronics has quietly accelerated a multi-front push to turn hardware into recurring revenue and to harden the security posture of its growing roster of AI-enabled devices — an effort that now bundles a stepped-up, benefits-heavy AI Subscription Club (“Blue Pass” enhancements), a new partnership to surface Microsoft Copilot on 2025 TVs and smart monitors, and the first TÜV Nord IoT security certifications for its Bespoke AI appliances. (news.samsung.com)

Background — why this matters now​

Samsung is no longer just a component supplier or TV maker; it’s aggressively reshaping its go-to-market model around AI as a service, blending hardware, cloud partnerships, and security assurances into a subscription-centric customer experience. That strategy plays across Samsung’s major business lines — from mobile and TVs to home appliances and PCs — and is designed to convert one-time device sales into recurring revenue and longer customer lifecycles. (samsung.com)
Across 2024–2025 Samsung has signaled that its AI roadmap involves three linked vectors:

• Embedding generative and conversational AI into screens and home appliances (Vision AI, Bixby upgrades, Copilot integrations).
• Wrapping hardware with care and maintenance services to lower upfront costs and raise long-term ARPU via subscriptions (AI Subscription Club, now upgraded). (pulse.mk.co.kr, news.samsung.com)
• Demonstrating compliance with European IoT security baselines to remove regional friction for smart-home growth (ETSI EN 303 645–based certifications such as TÜV Nord and UL verifications). (etsi.org, news.samsung.com)

These moves intersect at the real-world pain points for buyers: cost-of-entry to premium appliances and TVs, growing privacy/security concerns in smart homes, and consumer expectations for natural, helpful AI experiences on the biggest screens in the house.

---

What Samsung changed in the AI Subscription Club (the “Blue Pass” upgrade)​

A clearer subscription product — and richer care​

Samsung’s AI Subscription Club has moved from a simple hardware-subscription idea into a more mature product with improved choice, care services, and payment flexibility. The company rolled out a new “Blue Pass” care layer inside the upgraded “AI All‑in‑One 2.0” tier that promises priority A/S handling, additional complimentary inspection services, proactive AI pre‑care alerts, SmartThings setup at installation, and time-matched installation options later this year. Consumers can now choose shorter or longer terms for appliances and IT devices, and new partner card schemes reduce monthly charges for some buyers. (news.samsung.com, ajunews.com)
Key changes at a glance:

• Blue Pass: A five-item care bundle including A/S Fast Track (unlimited prioritized repair windows during the contract), Hana Deo (“one more service” extra-device check), AI pre-care notifications, SmartThings setup, and scheduled installation. (news.samsung.com)
• More flexible terms: Appliance subscription lengths expanded (3/4/5/6 years); PC/tablet plans shortened to 2/3/4 years where appropriate. (news.samsung.com)
• Payment variety and incentives: Multiple co-branded subscription cards and options to prepay part of total fees or use membership points toward monthly costs. (news.samsung.com)

Why Samsung is doing this​

The AI Subscription Club is a classic device-as-service (DaaS) play amplified for AI: it lowers the upfront price for premium, AI-capable devices while bundling service assurances that justify a monthly fee. From a business perspective it helps Samsung:

• Capture recurring revenue and improve lifetime value.
• Reduce friction for high-ticket AI devices (e.g., premium TVs, Bespoke refrigerators).
• Lock customers into the SmartThings/Knox ecosystem and increase cross-sell opportunities. (pulse.mk.co.kr, news.samsung.com)

---

Copilot on the big screen — what’s new and how it behaves​

Microsoft’s Copilot will ship as an integrated conversational layer on Samsung’s 2025 lineup of AI‑enabled TVs and Smart Monitors, accessible from Tizen OS home, Samsung Daily+, and the Click to Search flow. Users will be able to summon Copilot via remote‑microphone or voice and receive contextual, visually rich responses — from spoiler‑safe episode recaps to on‑screen quick facts, group-friendly content suggestions, and basic planning tasks — presented as readable cards and a friendly animated “presence” that lip‑syncs while speaking. Availability is currently limited to select 2025 models but will expand over time. (news.samsung.com, windowscentral.com)
What Copilot brings to Samsung screens:

• Natural voice interaction (remote or mic button) and optional Microsoft account sign‑in for memory and personalization.
• Content-aware assistance (e.g., identify actors, summarize plots, suggest similar shows).
• Learning and translation help, planning assistance, and on‑screen visuals optimized for large displays.
• Integration into Samsung Daily+ so Copilot can participate across entertainment, wellness, and lifestyle flows. (news.samsung.com, windowscentral.com)

Product and policy caveats​

• Copilot on TVs is positioned as a complementary on‑screen assistant alongside Samsung’s own Bixby and Click to Search; Samsung will continue to support Bixby. (news.samsung.com)
• Some personalization features require a Microsoft account; basic Copilot interactions will be usable without one. Availability and features vary by market and model. (windowscentral.com)

---

Bespoke AI appliances — TÜV Nord certification and what it proves​

The certification details​

Samsung announced that certain Bespoke AI refrigerators and robot vacuums (including the Bespoke AI Jet Bot Steam, Bespoke Jet Bot Combo, and 2025 Bespoke AI refrigerators) earned TÜV Nord IoT security certification, evaluated against the ETSI EN 303 645 consumer IoT baseline. The certification examined device lifecycle practices — from secure design to secure update mechanisms, data protection, authentication and access control, encrypted telemetry, and vulnerability management — and affirms that these products meet a recognized European security baseline. (news.samsung.com, sammobile.com)
Why that matters:

• ETSI EN 303 645 is the first widely‑adopted baseline for consumer IoT security and explicitly covers requirements such as no universal default passwords, secure software updates, vulnerability reporting, secure storage of credentials, and data protection for consumer devices. Meeting that standard removes a significant barrier to European market acceptance. (etsi.org, tuvsud.com)

Samsung’s security stack: Knox Vault, Knox Matrix, Firmware Verification​

Samsung says the certified devices implement multiple Knox security features:

• Knox Vault: a hardware‑isolated secure subsystem for cryptographic keys and sensitive data storage, designed to resist both software and physical attacks. (docs.samsungknox.com)
• Knox Matrix: an ecosystem‑wide trust mechanism (built around Trust Chain, Credential Sync, and a Cross‑Platform SDK) that lets devices monitor each other and isolate compromised devices in a home network. (news.samsung.com)
• Firmware verification & encrypted telemetry: boot‑time checks for unauthorized firmware, encrypted monitoring footage/commands (for robot vacuums), and secure update flows. (news.samsung.com)

Samsung’s public security claims are supported by third‑party verifications such as TÜV Nord and UL “Diamond” ratings for a range of Bespoke AI products, which bolsters the argument that Samsung is maturing its security posture for sensitive home devices. (news.samsung.com, sammobile.com)

---

How the pieces fit technically — Copilot, Copilot+ PCs, and device NPUs​

Samsung’s strategy ties hardware capability to subscription eligibility and to the user experience. A key example: Samsung’s AI subscription tiers and PC entitlements reference Copilot+ PC hardware requirements (NPUs measured in TOPS), a Microsoft designation for Windows laptops with on‑device NPU performance of roughly 40+ TOPS. Samsung’s AI All‑in‑One plans that cover PCs expect Copilot+ level hardware or similar capability for certain premium AI experiences. That alignment illustrates a deliberate interplay between device capability, partner platforms (Microsoft’s Copilot), and subscription packaging. (pulse.mk.co.kr, microsoft.com)
Why NPUs and TOPS matter

• NPUs (neural processing units) handle local AI tasks (real‑time translation, on‑device generative features, image transforms) with lower latency and privacy benefits versus cloud‑only processing.
• Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC branding emphasizes 40+ TOPS NPUs so that a consistent set of on‑device experiences can be offered across OEMs and subscription tiers. Samsung’s subscription packaging for Copilot+ capable devices hints it will use such hardware thresholds to differentiate plan levels. (microsoft.com)

---

Strategic implications — competition, partnerships, and revenue​

Samsung’s combination of subscription products, multi‑vendor AI partnerships, and security verification serves three strategic goals simultaneously:

• Monetize post‑purchase services. Subscriptions convert the purchase into a recurring revenue stream, capturing maintenance, updates, and potentially premium AI capabilities. The Blue Pass and AI All‑in‑One plans are explicit steps in this direction. (news.samsung.com)
• Reduce friction for premium hardware adoption. Lower monthly pricing and bundled care make high‑end TVs and appliances more accessible, which helps Samsung sell more units while retaining control of lifecycle revenue. (sammobile.com)
• Control the AI stack through open partnerships. Samsung is simultaneously integrating Microsoft Copilot (on screens) and Google’s Gemini (for the Ballie robot) — a pragmatic multi‑cloud approach that avoids single‑vendor lock‑in while leveraging the best of breed for specific modalities. (news.samsung.com)

Marketplace risks and competitive pressure

• Apple’s privacy‑forward, on‑device strategy and Google’s Gemini‑first cloud strategy both compete with Samsung’s open, partner‑heavy approach. Samsung’s advantage is breadth — it sells the screens, appliances, and the chips that power them — but that breadth also creates integration complexity. (samsung.com)

---

Security and regulatory risk — certification is a floor, not a ceiling​

TÜV Nord certification against ETSI EN 303 645 is an important marketing and compliance milestone, but it’s not a guarantee against all threats. ETSI EN 303 645 establishes a baseline for consumer IoT — no universal default passwords, secure updates, vulnerability disclosure processes, and basic data protections — but it does not cover every advanced threat model or certify continuous patching programs indefinitely. Organizations and consumers should understand that:

• Certification reflects audited compliance at a point in time and against a defined baseline; long‑term security depends on patch cadence, responsible vulnerability disclosure, and incident response practices. (etsi.org)
• Centralized AI experiences (Copilot + cloud services) raise new privacy challenges: telemetry, personalization “memory,” and cross‑device data flows need clear, granular consent and transparent handling. Samsung’s notices indicate opt‑in behaviors and Microsoft account linkages for personalization, but implementation details will determine privacy outcomes in practice. (news.samsung.com)
• Regulatory frameworks are tightening: the EU’s Cyber Resilience Act and ongoing updates to the Radio Equipment Directive add legal pressure for durable security and supply‑chain transparency, especially for devices sold in Europe. Certification helps, but continuous compliance is the tougher task. (news.samsung.com)

---

Consumer guidance — what to check and how to stay safe​

If you’re considering Samsung’s AI Subscription Club or a new Bespoke AI device, these pragmatic checkpoints will help:

• Confirm model and certification status
• Look for TÜV Nord or UL verification statements for the specific model you’re purchasing; certifications are often model‑specific, not product‑family wide. (news.samsung.com)
• Understand personalization and accounts
• If a feature requires a Microsoft or Samsung account for “memory” or personalization, review what is stored, for how long, and how to delete or export that data. (news.samsung.com)
• Favor Copilot+ or 40+ TOPS hardware for advanced on‑device AI
• For heavy AI workflows on PCs (image creation, real‑time translation, Recall‑style features), Copilot+ class NPUs (40+ TOPS) significantly reduce latency and dependence on cloud processing. (microsoft.com)
• Use network hygiene and segmentation
• Place IoT devices on a separate guest or IoT VLAN, keep firmware updated, and enable two‑factor authentication for associated accounts. Certifications reduce baseline risk but don’t remove the need for basic home network hygiene.
• Read the subscription T&Cs
• Subscription contracts can include early‑termination fees, insurance caveats, and hardware upgrade paths; check cancellation policies and what happens at contract end. (news.samsung.com)

---

Strengths, weaknesses and the road ahead — an analyst’s view​

Strengths

• Samsung’s ecosystem breadth — displays, appliances, phones, and chip capability — gives it a rare ability to sell connected experiences that span rooms and device types.
• Third‑party certifications (TÜV Nord, UL Diamond) and visible security technologies (Knox Vault, Knox Matrix) materially increase buyer confidence for privacy‑sensitive markets like Europe. (news.samsung.com)
• Open partnerships with Microsoft and Google show a pragmatic approach to delivering best‑of‑breed AI experiences rather than forcing a single proprietary stack. (news.samsung.com)

Weaknesses and risks

• Subscription fatigue: consumers resist layered fees unless the incremental value is obvious. Samsung must clearly differentiate what subscribers receive versus baseline device owners. (pulse.mk.co.kr)
• Complexity of multi‑vendor stacks: integrating Copilot, Gemini, Samsung LLMs, and on‑device NPUs across Tizen, Android, and Windows ecosystems increases support and QA costs.
• Certification is necessary but not sufficient. Continuous security investment, transparent telemetry policies, and rapid patching are essential to prevent reputational damage from an exploited device.

---

Final verdict — practical optimism with guarded realism​

Samsung’s late‑August/early‑September moves are not a single product update but a coordinated play: make premium AI devices more affordable via subscriptions, enrich screen experiences with best‑in‑class conversational AI through partners like Microsoft, and neutralize regulatory and consumer security concerns with recognized certifications. Together, those actions lower friction for adoption and create a foundation for long‑term service revenue.
That said, the plan’s success hinges on execution: delivering reliably secure devices over years, keeping subscription economics compelling, and being scrupulous about privacy and transparency when Copilot and device memory cross the living‑room threshold. For WindowsForum readers building smart homes or evaluating upgrades, the practical takeaway is straightforward: Samsung’s ecosystem is becoming meaningfully smarter — and more service‑centric — but buyers should verify certification, read subscription terms carefully, and isolate IoT devices on a segmented network while updates roll out.
(If you’re tracking this space: watch how Samsung’s Blue Pass uptake develops in Korea and whether Blue Pass and AI Subscription Club features are offered in international markets beyond the initial rollout. Those moves will reveal how aggressively Samsung plans to monetize AI across device categories.) (news.samsung.com)

---

Source: AInvest Samsung Electronics Enhances AI Subscription Service