Samsung Brings Ads to its Smart Refrigerator with New Update

Samsung is rolling out a new update for its premium smart refrigerators that feature touchscreen displays, and users may not like it. The update allows refrigerators to show ads on their screens. While the ads may not be as frequent or intrusive as on streaming services, they could cause some inconvenience at times.

Ads are coming to Samsung’s smart refrigerator screens

Earlier this year, Samsung launched its latest lineup of smart refrigerators with the “Screens Everywhere” vision. The company expanded screens across 4-Door, 4-Door French Door, and Side-by-Side refrigerators. This allows users to get recipe recommendations and meal planning right on the screen for a more intuitive kitchen experience. But who knew that the same screens meant to make life easier would now display advertisements?

It’s still unclear which refrigerator models will receive the new update, but ads will show up on the cover screen for themes like Weather, Color, and Daily Board. Thankfully, the company says ads won’t appear across Art and Gallery themes, allowing for a cleaner experience. However, only time will tell how long — a future update could change that.

Samsung says it will display ads on the cover screen to enhance its service and offer additional content to users. While the company frames this as a feature, users naturally see it as an unwanted intrusion. This move has sparked concern on social media platforms, like Reddit, with owners expressing their disappointment. It looks like the Korean firm is leaning towards monetization over user experience for its smart home appliances.

Furthermore, the update makes some improvements to its smart refrigerators. For example, the Samsung News widget is now part of the Daily Board, allowing you to stay up to date with the latest headlines. It also places examples of Bixby voice commands at the bottom of the Daily Board screen, making interaction with the assistant easier.