Samsung’s $3,499 Smart Fridges Will Soon Show Ads
▼ Summary
– Samsung has officially started displaying ads on its 2024 Family Hub smart fridges, which cost between $1,899 and $3,499, through a software update this month.
– The ads appear on the fridge’s 21.5- or 32-inch screen when idle, using what Samsung calls Cover Screens, and are part of a new widget showing news, calendar, weather, and curated advertisements.
– Samsung states that the ads will be contextualized rather than personalized, meaning they do not rely on collecting user data for targeting.
– The widget is a rectangular box at the bottom of the screen that changes its display every 10 seconds, as reported by The Verge.
– A new Daily Board theme will also include ads in one of its five information tiles, a detail Samsung omitted but The Verge confirmed.
Samsung has officially confirmed that its premium Family Hub smart refrigerators will soon begin displaying advertisements on their integrated screens. This move follows a controversial pilot program initiated last month and will affect the 2024 lineup of these high-end appliances. The ad-supported functionality will be deployed through a software update scheduled for rollout this month, transforming the refrigerator’s display into a marketing platform when not actively in use.
These advertisements will appear on the 21.5-inch or 32-inch screens, depending on the specific model, while the refrigerator is in an idle state. Samsung refers to these display periods as “Cover Screens,” during which a new widget will showcase a rotating selection of content. This widget will present practical daily information like weather forecasts, calendar events, and news headlines alongside what the company describes as “curated advertisements.”
A notable aspect of this implementation is Samsung’s claim that the advertisements will be contextual rather than personalized. This distinction means the ads won’t rely on collecting individual user data to target specific households, potentially addressing some privacy concerns that often accompany advertising features in smart devices.
According to industry reports, the advertising widget will manifest as a rectangular box positioned at the bottom portion of the screen. This container will cycle through different content segments approximately every ten seconds, ensuring the advertisements receive regular visibility alongside the informational content.
The software update will also introduce a feature called “Daily Board theme,” which Samsung promotes as offering users a convenient way to glance at useful information. However, reports indicate this feature will incorporate advertising content as well, a detail not explicitly mentioned in Samsung’s official announcement. The Daily Board presentation will consist of six total tiles: five dedicated to practical information like appointments and weather data, with the sixth tile reserved for promotional content.
(Source: Ars Technica)
