Samsung Confirms Its $2700+ Fridges Will Start Showing You Ads

Nillionaire on 02/10/2025 - 18:15
Last edited 02/10/2025 - 21:02 by 1 other user

Samsung is committed to innovation and enhancing every day value for our home appliance customers. 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.

As a part of this pilot program, Family Hub refrigerators in the U.S. 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. 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.

Advertisements can be dismissed on the Cover Screens where ads are shown, meaning that specific ads will not appear again during the campaign period.

Source: I converted the currency for the title.

Electrical & Electronics Refrigerator Samsung

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Comments

  • netjock on 02/10/2025 - 18:22
    +8

    Inspired by Gilfoyle Hacks Jian Yang's Smart Fridge šŸ¤“ Silicon Valley

    https://youtu.be/HcXu4_K1tMQ?si=DsGuevghyjWDwK9i

  • Hybroid on 02/10/2025 - 18:23
    +2

    Anyone buying Samsung products in Australia is not very smart considering their poor reputation for service and support. Fits well with being blasted with ads.

    https://www.productreview.com.au/listings/samsung

      • spackbace on 02/10/2025 - 18:48
        +5

        Home of the store reps who sockpuppeted or spam posted!

        Also

        I really like Kelly's reviews, when it seems she forgot that she reviewed the site previously in 2019:

        2025:

        Worst website i have ever been to, when you try to submit a post or even comment they ban you and block you. Such a scam, these websites should be pulled down.

        2019:

        SCAM WEBSITE DON'T DEALS DON'T WORK! OZBARGAIN WEBSITE POSTS DEALS WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION! THEY WILL STEAL YOUR CODES FROM YOUR WEBSITE! MERCHANTS BEWARE!

        THEY STOLE MY COUPONS FROM MY SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE AND USED IT ON THEIR WEBSITE WITHOUT MY PERMISSION!

        • freefall101 on 02/10/2025 - 18:58
          +8

          I like to think Kelly has just been seething inside for 6 years and can't let it go.

          Also, wow, she's never had a good experience anywhere. Poor Kelly M.

    • eug on 02/10/2025 - 21:41
      +3

      Anyone buying Apple products in Australia is not very smart considering their poor reputation for service and support. Fits well with …. wait… maybe productreview is just an absolutely useless site to judge a company by.

      https://www.productreview.com.au/listings/apple-store-austraā€¦

      • Korban Dallas on 04/10/2025 - 21:49

        My experience at an apple store 10 years ago was awful enough to not buy an apple product ever again. I was full apple fan too.

        But hey, i didnt post there.

    • mboy on 03/10/2025 - 13:54
      +4

      Product Review isn't great justification, but Samsung do indeed have an awful reputation for service and support.

      Here's a better link:
      NSW Fair Trading's top five most complained about businesses in the first half of 2023.

      Samsung #1 amongst some pretty terrible company (Ticketek, Qantas).

    • ninohax on 03/10/2025 - 15:06

      This! Have had horrendous experience with Samsung. They don't have a local call centre. The support centre has been outsourced to Philippines who have zero communication with the head office in Sydney. Its not their fault they are helpless because they do not receive timely communication or even any sort of communication from the Sydney HQ. I would highly recommend to stay away from Samsung in Australia and don't even think about ordering something from their website unless you want a guaranteed bad experience.

      • eug on 03/10/2025 - 16:15
        +1

        Have had horrendous experience with Samsung.

        FWIW I had a good experience. My Samsung monitor had a backlight problem. From memory I lodged a support request online, I got a call within a day, they confirmed the issue and got their local service agent to arrange a time with me. The agent came onsite, replaced the backlight within about half an hour, and that was it.

        Samsung sells so many devices and appliances that there will definitely be a higher number of people facing issues. The problem is only people who are facing issues will talk about it on an online forum every time there's an opportunity, whereas people who have had no issues don't bother because they're .. well.. not having any issues.

        So as a result you're far more likely to hear people's gripes about a company than praises, even if the actual number of issues per 100,000 items sold is similar to other companies.

        • ninohax on 03/10/2025 - 17:49

          The point you raised is absolutely valid about only people who had experiences talking about it but my experience makes me believe you are in the minority unless if they have overhauled their entire customer support system. May I know when you had this interaction with Samsung?

          • eug on 04/10/2025 - 10:51

            @ninohax:

            but my experience makes me believe you are in the minority unless if they have overhauled their entire customer support system.

            How did you conclude the majority of people have a bad experience just based on your experience?

            May I know when you had this interaction with Samsung?

            It would have been around 2023.

            I've had other dealings with their service centre too. My mom's Fold 3 developed an unusual ridge running down the middle. I brought it in to the local Samsung service centre who examined it and said it's unusual as it's usually caused by physical damage but they could see the phone was not damaged. They replaced the screen with no hassles.

            The Fold 3 was also the start of the Fold peeling screen protector saga. Mine started peeling in the middle so I called the service centre who said they didn't have any in stock but will order some in. They called me when it came in, I dropped by and they replaced it on the spot for free.

            Someone else I know got their Fold 3 screen protector replaced overseas. A few days after, the screen died. Back here I helped lodge a warranty claim. I contacted Samsung online and described the issue, they sent an Auspost shipping label, the post office packed the phone, about a week later I received the phone with a new screen back in the mail.

            My friend's Fold 4 developed black dots near the crease. He mounts his phone to his road bike so every time there's a bump the screen chatters open and shut, which I suspect caused or at least contributed to it. He sent it in and they …. replaced the screen no questions asked.

            Last year my work colleague's Flip 5 developed lines/dots on the screen. She brought it in to the service centre, they repaired it and mailed it back.

            Going back many more years, I dropped my Galaxy Note 2 onto a rock and cracked the screen. I sent it in to their service centre to replace the screen (not under warranty of course), after two weeks they called and said they still haven't been able to get replacement screens so they're sending me a brand new retail boxed unit instead for the same price as a screen repair.

            I have several other examples that are the same - product has a fault, Samsung repairs it, no issues whatsoever. Reports like that are incredibly boring as there's really not much to say, so nobody ever talks about them on forums. It becomes a form of publication bias.

    • c64 on 03/10/2025 - 17:11
      +1

      samsung is consistently at the top of the NSW fair trading complaints registery

    • Seaword on 03/10/2025 - 20:44
      +2

      Large $900 Samsung fridge going strong after 11 years.

      The adds on the fridge won't fly, but sweeping statements about their products are nonsense.

      • Jackson on 04/10/2025 - 17:31

        Same here, have taken mine to 3 and almost a 4th residence in about the same time and hasn't skipped a beat. Have a washing machine too and while it died early (5 year mark) I fixed it with parts from eBay myself cheap, at least parts are available, unlike trying to figure out what Kogan/other cheap brand is made by and what spares it takes. FWIW Samsung's own spare parts division was pretty useless and overpriced

    • TrumpisKing on 04/10/2025 - 00:38

      Even their phones?

  • SBOB on 02/10/2025 - 18:26
    +3

    Family Hub refrigerators in the U.S.

    Doesn't seem applicable to here though?

  • FireRunner on 02/10/2025 - 18:43
    +9

    Crazy that you need Adblock for your fridge.
    Only applicable to the US but hopefully that crap isnā€™t allowed here

    • tenpercent on 02/10/2025 - 19:31
      +2

      I can't think of any reason why it isn't allowed.

      • brendanm on 02/10/2025 - 19:55
        +11

        You purchased a fridge that doesn't have ads, now it has ads. Major failure.

    • hasher22 on 02/10/2025 - 19:35
      +14

      Crazy that a fridge needs a screen in the first place?

    • c64 on 02/10/2025 - 19:39

      decline the T&Cs?

      • tenpercent on 02/10/2025 - 19:42
        +10

        You have declined the T&Cs.
        Powering down.
        Temperature increasing.
        Do you want to change your mind and accept the T&Cs?
        Yes I want to use the fridge | Please let my food spoil

        • FireRunner on 02/10/2025 - 20:32
          +20

          Smart fridge locks the door until you watch the ad
          Subscribe to SmartFridge+ to skip the ads and have access to your food anytime!

          Ok, thatā€™s enough capitalism dystopia for one day

      • Guerilla89 on 04/10/2025 - 19:01

        Often there is no "Decline" button, usually you get two options:

        Option 1: Agree to terms and continue to use product.
        Option 2: Don't click "Agree" and then the "Smart" product you have paid for can no longer be used.

        As an example, in 2024 Roku forced users to accept new Terms & Conditions or lose device access.
        * If you didn't agree to T&Cs you couldn't use your TV.
        * The update expanded arbitration rules, added a mandatory ā€œmeet-and-conferā€ step, and restricted mass claims.
        * Opt-out is allowed only by mailing a letter to Rokuā€™s General Counsel in San Jose, California and must be done within 30 days of the notice being posted.

    • Zapwap on 04/10/2025 - 21:34

      Only applicable to the US

      Yes, the "Utter Sh*t" isn't allowed in Straya

  • c64 on 02/10/2025 - 19:24

    ha ha ha, as if i'm gonna but that fridge or any other samsung fridge

  • hasher22 on 02/10/2025 - 19:35

    Ok just ask for a discount down to 2699 and you won't get ads. Simples.

  • tenpercent on 02/10/2025 - 19:40

    Why does a fridge need internet access anyway?

    • mike6969 on 03/10/2025 - 07:14
      +6

      To spy on you like everything else sadly

    • frewer on 04/10/2025 - 20:41

      So that in the near future, the fridge's AI can tell your children that it's a good idea to go buy some whisky for you on your weekend.

  • 30year old Camry on 02/10/2025 - 20:00
    +1

    Next they will offer a Premium Subscription for $69 per Month where you can opt out of the ads.

    Light inside the fridge will also become a $69 Monthly subscription.

  • Ughhh on 02/10/2025 - 20:35
    +2

    Sounds like Black Mirror coming to real life.

    • Sinnerator on 04/10/2025 - 07:54

      we are beyond blackmirror; PALANTIR and all it's friends, planned obsolesce, digital id to save the kids etc

  • ihbh on 02/10/2025 - 20:42

    Samsung should act as a affiliate and pay cashback to their customers who agree screen the ads, with option to exit any time.

  • El cheepo on 03/10/2025 - 00:13
    +4

    Several people have asked it, but no one has answered it.

    Who the hell needs a screen on a fridge with Internet access?
    What even is the point?

    Whos fridge is in a position where it is more convenient to get some functionality out of a screen on it better than a phone, tablet or tv?

    • Subere on 03/10/2025 - 07:41
      +1

      The whole IOT creates solutions for problems that don't exist.

      Oh you're running out of milk? automatically add it to your online shopping basket with whichever supermarket you've set up.

      Catch the weather and latest stock news as you're eating breakfast.
      Etc

      • El cheepo on 03/10/2025 - 10:24
        +1

        I understand those possibilities, but who the hell wants to stand at the fridge and use a presumably bad android interface to type on a poor touch screen keypad lol.

        I think you could get work in their marketing department with this though:

        Oh you're running out of milk? automatically add it to your online shopping basket with whichever supermarket you've set up.

        Surely anyone tech savvy enough to make use of those sorts of features would just use their phone and everyone else would probably just have a display that shows the weather (like their phone, tablet, watch and tv does šŸ˜‚)

        I agree with this:

        It's a gimmick

        • Subere on 03/10/2025 - 13:34
          +2

          I agree with you.

          Again these tech companies like to create solutions for problems that people never "realised they had"

          And I'm sure their long term plan was to always eventually bring in ads

    • FireRunner on 03/10/2025 - 07:55
      +4

      Yeah, not sure why youā€™d want a display on your fridge but if I bought a fridge with a display I donā€™t ever want it to show me anything I didnā€™t ask it to

    • InfiniteWee on 03/10/2025 - 09:10
      +1

      Nobody "needs" a screen on their fridge, that was never the point. It's a gimmick that sets one expensive fridge apart from the others on the Good Guys floor. There's a cohort of people who that works on.

    • Speckled Jim on 03/10/2025 - 10:23

      Your fridge even TikTok brah?

      Truly the end.

      • El cheepo on 03/10/2025 - 10:25
        +1

        Imagine standing at the fridge door just doom scrollingā€¦.

        How stupā€¦. Wait a secondā€¦
        Sold! šŸ˜‚

      • n3ck3ntry8bort0rgasm on 03/10/2025 - 19:21

        Your fridge even TikTok brah?

        Truly the end.

        no it's called streamlining, space saving, efficient.

        now every morning you can do a trending tiktok dance just to unlock and open the fridge. (i'm not joking this kind of thing was patented and it's coming to appliances, have to do a dance or "affirm" to dismiss the ad that appears on tv)

        • tenpercent on 03/10/2025 - 19:57

          Why would anyone want a fridge with an in-built outward-facing camera?

          • n3ck3ntry8bort0rgasm on 03/10/2025 - 21:16

            @tenpercent: it probably claims to use ai to do your grocery shopping for you based on your facial expression.

            "looked pissed off? the Magnum choc icecream appears in your fridge the next day!!" <—— this is the dumb way they always market it. like it appears in your fridge from a secret tunnel that's at the back of your fridge. but no you have to either receive delivery or pic it up from the store C&C. šŸ˜‚

  • Aussie Paul 58 on 03/10/2025 - 08:13

    Is it April 1st already?

  • greyeye on 03/10/2025 - 08:16

    My Google Nest doorbell emails me every time it isn't connected to wifi… I had to see the same for a fridge.
    So expect to see
    "Hey, your -insert Samsung fridge- is disconnected from the network, please check it or lose seeing all the great promotions from our sponsors!" /s

    • mike6969 on 04/10/2025 - 08:16

      Same with my LG 'smart' TV constant nagging if it's not connected to internet. No option to disable of course

  • afah0447 on 03/10/2025 - 08:51

    We have really entered into a corporate distopia. I know in the US are they experimenting forcing people to listen to ads when driving in cars.

    • Switchblade88 on 03/10/2025 - 10:27
      +3

      forcing people to listen to ads when driving in cars

      Radio?

    • n3ck3ntry8bort0rgasm on 03/10/2025 - 19:23

      I know in the US are they experimenting forcing people to listen to ads when driving in cars.

      I think I actually commented about this once.

      can't remember exactly, but something like when you return to the car, the built in radio/screen thingy shows an ad, and you can't drive the car until you dismiss it because it would be distracting.

  • pegaxs on 03/10/2025 - 09:35
    +2

    Imagine paying that much for a fridge and it still showing ads. The fridge should be about $30 if it is going to show ads.

    Pretty soon you are going to have to pay a monthly subscription to keep your food cold. Free, it will be 10 degrees, but if you want the full 2 degrees level of refrigeration, then you need to go on the ā€œcold plus+ā€ planā€¦

    • Subere on 03/10/2025 - 13:34

      Volkswagen has entered the chat ….

      • n3ck3ntry8bort0rgasm on 03/10/2025 - 19:25

        Volkswagen has entered the chat ā€¦.

        I saw that video. I think the guy was borrowing his friends car, and when driving down the highway he tries to activate cruise control, and it just shows text saying "your subscription hasn't been paid". yes it blocks him from using the feature. he was going on about "how to ruin your entire brand".

      • OzzyOzbourne on 04/10/2025 - 13:27

        And Amazon prime video

  • Ocker on 03/10/2025 - 11:50

    Just another reason not to buy Samsung

  • gromit on 04/10/2025 - 12:07

    I can't see this lasting, the backlash will be huge. regardless if I didn't have enough reasons not to buy their smart products already this certainly puts the icing on the cake.

  • MessyG on 04/10/2025 - 13:01

    So tired of this insidious bull****. It started way back in the nineties when the web was ad-free, then banner ads came and it went from there. People will still buy it. Reminds of an old sci-fi where TVs weren't allowed to have off-switches.

  • OzzyOzbourne on 04/10/2025 - 13:26
    +1

    "open the fridge door"…. "I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that, until you watch the ad"

  • megaclix on 04/10/2025 - 15:24

    Just wow. I already have a pretty low opinion of Samsung, and this just reaffirms it. Pretty much anyone I know who has had a Samsung fridge regrets their purchase a few years later.

    To push this update on people with no option to not accept the terms and conditions and changes to privacy screams so much arrogance. Hopefully Samsung gets a decent amount of US consumer backlash from this.

    • eug on 04/10/2025 - 16:14

      Pretty much anyone I know who has had a Samsung fridge regrets their purchase a few years later.

      Bought my Samsung fridge in 2017. It has been working great so far!

  • AwesomeAndrew on 04/10/2025 - 16:35

    They also blocked bootloader unlocking on all mobile devices with the One UI 8 update.

  • welcomeUniverseWorld on 04/10/2025 - 20:42

    What if it shows advertisement on condoms or birth control? ;)

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