Samsung pushes ads onto premium smart fridges in the US – But Australia is still ad-free
A controversial software update for owners of Samsung FamilyHub fridges in the US sparks outrage among customers who paid thousands for premium appliances.
Samsung's has been committed to putting screens into its range of appliances, and there are plenty of benefits to having easy connectivity in a smart home. But there's also a darker side: it makes it tempting for the company to update the platform to put ads on those screens.
In the US, there's been a lot of outrage this week because this is exactly what has happened. As part of a pilot program, some owners of Samsung FamilyHub fridges were notified that, following a software update, they would be seeing ads on the screens in their fridge.
Fortunately for Australians though, it is a US-only initiative. I spoke with a Samsung rep about this this morning and confirmed that the "pilot program was US-only".
What is the pilot program doing?
In its official statement to Android Authority, Samsung said it was: "conducting a pilot program to offer promotions and curated advertisements on certain Samsung Family Hub refrigerator models in the U.S. market" as part of efforts to "strengthen that value" for customers.
It's quite the change in strategy, though. As recently as April, Samsung told The Verge that it had "no plans" to incorporate advertisements into its smart home displays.
The ads will appear on the fridge's Cover Screen when idle, but only on the Weather, Colour, and Daily Board themes. The Art and Gallery themes will remain ad-free. Users that are part of the program can dismiss individual ads and they won't be displayed again during the campaign period, but there's no way to disable the advertising system entirely.
What this means for Australia
While Australian consumers are safe from fridge advertising for now, the pilot program's existence raises questions about Samsung's long-term strategy. If the US pilot proves financially successful for Samsung, it would be naive to assume the practice won't eventually spread to other markets.
The controversy also highlights the importance of considering long-term implications when purchasing smart home devices, as manufacturers retain the ability to significantly alter functionality and user experience through software updates.
For now, Australian Samsung fridge owners can continue using their appliances ad-free, but they may want to keep a close eye on future software update notifications.
BTTR relies on support from readers like you to keep going. If you'd like to support our work, consider a one-time donation. Every little bit helps us to cover costs and stay independent. 100% of donations go directly to authors. Thanks for your support!
Nick Broughall
Nick Broughall
Nick Broughall
