- Samsung is launching an update to its smart refrigerators that shows ads
- They appear in a widget on the screen of your Family Hub smart refrigerators
- At least you can turn off ads in the refrigerator settings.
Samsung has started rolling out an update in the US for its Family Hub smart refrigerators that brings ads to its screens, among other new features.
As discovered by The Verge, the controversial update for Family Hub refrigerators (which start at around $2000, or around £1500/AU$3000) includes a new widget for “day-to-day information”, including news, calendar events, weather forecasts and (drum roll) “selected ads”.
In a footnote to the announcement, Samsung says the displays “will provide contextual or non-personal ads” and that they “do not collect personal information or track consumers.”
Still, the news is likely to provoke another fierce reaction. Samsung announced that the ‘feature’ was coming to its smart refrigerators last month, and the response was cold, to say the least.
Not only were the refrigerator ads met with a collective “thumbs down,” but Samsung further stoked anger by maintaining in an official statement that it was “improving everyday value for our home appliance customers.”
The Family Hub update starts rolling out starting today (October 27) in the US and will appear as a notification on your refrigerator screen, asking you to “opt in to the latest software update.” Understandably, many ignore it and opt for some guacamole.
Analysis: A new low for the smart home?
Samsung at least gives Family Hub refrigerator owners the option to turn off ads in the “Ads” tab of the Settings menu. You can also dismiss ads you see on the ‘Cover Screen’.
But the frustration for many is that there is even an ‘Ads’ tab in the refrigerator settings, which did not exist when the (very expensive) refrigerator was first released. That crosses a line that will likely overshadow the other features this update brings, including a new user interface, improved AI-powered food tracking, and more.
We previously criticized a similar approach on Amazon’s Fire tablets. For a slight discount, you can allow Amazon to display ads on your tablet’s lock screen. But the deal isn’t especially tempting: As my colleague Philip Berne wrote, “you save a few bucks” and “Amazon gets a billboard on your house forever.”
Still, at least Amazon is trying to subsidize its ad-infested technology. Unfortunately, Samsung seems oblivious to the negative reception of its “pilot” program, which it should at least adapt based on user feedback. Judging by the early reception of the idea, that reception will be colder than the refrigerator’s built-in ice maker.
As TechRadar’s Home editor Cat Ellis told me, you should buy a silly but impressive Smeg fridge-freezer instead.
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