Did you ever think the day would come when the screen of your carefully selected, premium smart fridge would display not your family calendar, shopping list, or favorite photos, but unsolicited ads? Well, according to Samsung, this isn’t a dystopian vision of the future, but a pilot program aimed at—and get ready for this—”strengthening the value” for the owner.
You read that right. With the latest software update, Samsung Family Hub refrigerators in the US market have started displaying “promotions and curated advertisements.” This news is particularly ironic given that the company categorically denied having any such plans back in April. It seems that “plans” can change quickly.
How Does It Work in Practice?
According to Samsung’s official statement, the ads appear on the “Cover Screen,” which is the idle screen when the fridge is “resting.” The company was quick to add that the ads do not interfere with Art Mode or photo albums, and individual ads can be dismissed, so they won’t reappear during that specific campaign period.
But let’s not kid ourselves. This is a classic “foot-in-the-door” technique. What is a dismissible ad today could become an interactive, loud commercial tomorrow that only disappears if you buy the latest yogurt.
The Dark Side of the “Screens Everywhere” Strategy
This move fits perfectly into Samsung’s “screens everywhere” strategy. After all, if there’s already a large, shiny surface in the middle of our kitchen, why not make money from it? Sound familiar? This is exactly what they did with their smart TVs ten years ago, which also became filled with ads over time.
The problem with this approach is that the user has already paid. And not a small amount. The Family Hub fridges represent the premium segment of the market. People spend a hefty sum on them to get an innovative, convenient, and customizable device, not another advertising surface in their home. With the purchase, we implicitly bought the hardware and licenced the services that run on it—ad-free. Samsung is now unilaterally tearing up this agreement.
What’s the Situation in Europe?
Currently, this is a US pilot program. However, it would be naive to think that if it proves successful there, they won’t try to expand it to other markets. What is a “value-enhancing experiment” in America today could easily become the reality in Europe tomorrow. The backlash on social media and professional forums is already huge. Many already consider the brand risky due to reliability issues, and this latest move only adds fuel to the fire.
The real question is, where do we draw the line? The essence of a smart home is convenience, security, and automation, not having our most intimate living spaces flooded with marketing messages. Our fridge knows what we eat, when we’re out of milk, and what diet we follow. This dataset is worth its weight in gold to advertisers. Do we really want to hand over our kitchens to them as well?
I’m eagerly awaiting further developments and will, of course, report back if this trend starts to make its way into Europe.
