Samsung have confirmed that advertisements will now be shown on their $1,800 high-tech fridges. This means buyers may be forced to sit through unwanted commercials at home.
Reports were circulating about it
Reports had been circulating earlier this month that some Samsung high-tech refrigerators were receiving updates introducing ads to the Family Hub screen.
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That is the touchscreen on the door of the fridge, often used to see what’s inside without opening it or to check the weather and play music.
Some thought it was glitch
At first, some users thought this was a glitch in the system, but Samsung has since confirmed that displaying ads on people’s fridges was intentional.
“Samsung is committed to innovation and enhancing everyday value for our home appliance customers,” the company began in a statement, per Fortune.
They confirmed the implementation of ads
The tech giant went on, “As part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen that value, we are conducting a pilot program to offer promotions and curated advertisements on certain Samsung Family Hub refrigerator models in the U.S. market.”
Commercials will appear on the Cover Screen
“As a part of this pilot program, Family Hub refrigerators in the US will receive an over-the-network (OTN) software update with Terms of Service (T&C) and Privacy Notice (PN). Advertising will appear on certain Family Hub refrigerator Cover Screens,” it went on.
The ads will pop up when the screen is idle
The statement continued, “The Cover Screen appears when a Family Hub screen is idle. Ad design format may change depending on Family Hub personalization options for the Cover Screen, and advertising will not appear when Cover Screen displays Art Mode or picture albums.”
The ads can be dismissed as well
“Advertisements can be dismissed on the cover screens where ads are shown, meaning that specific ads will not appear again during the campaign period,” Samsung added.
This means that unless you’re actively displaying art or family photos, you might see ads on your fridge instead of the calendar or weather information.
People aren’t happy with the news
Although the tech company said ads can be dismissed when they pop up, it doesn’t seem like there’s a way to turn them off completely.
Many took to social media to express their dismay with such news. One person wrote on X, “Sorry Samsung, I refuse to watch ads whilst drinking milk . . . Not buying your products – YOU LOSE !!”
Another expressed worry about safety
Another user expressed their concern about network safety, writing, “If an appliance needs an internet connection, don’t get it. Security is usually one of the last things on their mind, as well as what happens when your service provider or the servers for the ad network got hacked.”
“Do you really want your home network hacked due to your fridge,” they added.
