Samsung makes ads on $3,499 smart fridges official with upcoming software update

In a move that is stirring mixed reactions, Samsung has officially announced that its premium smart fridges will soon display advertisements. This feature will be rolled out through a software update set to begin this month, targeting the 2024 Family Hub models, which retail between $1,899 and $3,499. The advertisements will appear on the fridge's built-in screens, available in either 21.5 or 32 inches, whenever the appliance is not in use. Samsung refers to these as Cover Screens, showcasing ads that are designed to be contextual rather than personalized, meaning they won’t use user data for targeting. According to reports, the ad display will take the form of a rectangular widget located at the bottom of the screen, refreshing its content every ten seconds. Additionally, the upcoming software update will introduce a new Daily Board theme, which will provide users with a quick overview of various useful information, including weather updates and calendar appointments, alongside the ads. Interestingly, while the announcement highlighted the Daily Board feature, it did not explicitly mention the inclusion of advertisements in this new interface, prompting some scrutiny from observers.