Samsung has begun deploying a software update to its Family Hub refrigerators located in the United States, marking the introduction of advertisements on these appliances for the first time. This development comes despite earlier statements from Samsung to Technology News in April asserting that the company intended to avoid such measures.
The company is labeling this initiative as a pilot program designed to “enhance the value” of owning a Samsung smart refrigerator.
The complete statement from Samsung, which was shared with Android Authority, reads:
Samsung is committed to innovation and enhancing everyday 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 part of this pilot program, Family Hub refrigerators in the U.S. will receive an over-the-network (OTN) software update that includes Terms of Service (T&C) and Privacy Notice (PN). Advertising will be featured on specific Family Hub refrigerator Cover Screens, which display when the refrigerator’s screen is idle. The format of the advertisements may vary according to the personalization settings of the Cover Screen, and ads will not be shown when the Cover Screen is in Art Mode or showing picture albums.
Users will be able to dismiss the advertisements on the Cover Screens, ensuring that those specific ads will not be displayed again during the campaign period.
The news of these advertisements has generated skepticism, particularly after first surfacing on Reddit. However, industry watchers have hinted that this move was anticipated following Samsung’s embrace of a “screens everywhere” philosophy for its appliances, a trend the company initiated by incorporating ads into its smart TVs back in 2016.
