If You Thought Ads in Apple Maps Was Bad, Samsung is Putting Ads on $1,900+ Refrigerators

[Student of Life]

With all due respect if you buy a refrigerator with a giant screen slapped on the front of it, what exactly is the long-term expectation? People who want that level of tech in an appliance generally know the game, connected displays come with bloatware, data mining, and yes… ads.

I get being annoyed that Samsung turned it on by default, but acting shocked that a 32-inch Wi-Fi billboard in your kitchen might eventually be used as, well, a billboard feels a little naïve. This is the trade-off we keep making with smart everything convenience up front, monetization later.

This appliance carries a heavy premium, it’s the equivalent of getting the iPhone 17 pro max but instead of having your own wall paper it’s an ad.

It’s more of a with all due respect, how stupid can a company get to add advertising to a premium product priced in the 3 to 4 thousand range. The company has single handedly alienated the consumer with disposable income to buy this product. How idiotic can they be is the real question here. You pissed off the consumer who will pay a premium. Samsung you are dead to me.

 

[kylelerner]

Same thing with Alexas - there isn't a single mention on Echo Devices pages (with or without displays) about advertisements being included and required on the devices being purchased. This needs to be illegal and the government should nip this in the butt before it becomes ridiculous/commonplace - it's not only classless, but it's also not what was signed up for/agreed to during purchase.

 

[SAIRUS]

An Apple Fridge...

...It probably would require a dongle just to get ice out

 

[Vahn21]

Just block their ip problem solved the things they want to put ads on is ridiculous

 

[BotchQue]

I'm still trying to figure out how to sabotage (w/o actual vandalism) gas pumps that immediately start shoving video/audio ads down my throat while I'm pumping gas. GIVE US YOUR MONEYYY WE MUST HAVE YOUR MONEYYY MORE MONEYYYY FOR US

 

[Boeingfan]

I can't be the only one who thinks that all of this intrusive advertising is the tip of the digital iceberg which is driving some people away from the digital revolution completely. From hackers to advertisers, the common denominator is the digital pathway.

When terrestrial TV was mainstream, we invented VCR's, and they meant that once something was recorded it could be watched endlessly, and you could fast forward through the ad's. I immensely dislike advertisements and those responsible for them, they are scum who would seize an opportunity to plaster an ad on your coffin given the captive audience if they could.

How have we allowed ourselves to go from consuming media on our terms to being drip fed? I'm going to put forward that it's simply greed; companies like Apple with Cookster at the wheel have seen the massive paycheques tied to revenue KPI's, and to hell with the consumer's experience.

Once again, the end consumer is not the customer, the investors are. End consumers are the goldfish in a bowl chosen by someone else, the food is chosen by someone else, and the water quality is controlled by someone else. All we get to do is poo 😁

If it all gets too much, I'll just go back to my street directories, writing pads, CD's, and blu-ray's. We CAME from there and can easily do a U'ey.

 

[BotchQue]

An Apple Fridge...

...It probably would require a dongle just to get ice out

Worse, you'll have to turn the fridge upside down to recharge it.

 

[craigmak]

Deborah would be proud! (Popstar never stop never stopping)

 

[Boeingfan]

I'm still trying to figure out how to sabotage (w/o actual vandalism) gas pumps that immediately start shoving video/audio ads down my throat while I'm pumping gas. GIVE US YOUR MONEYYY WE MUST HAVE YOUR MONEYYY MORE MONEYYYY FOR US

I'm so thankful that in Australia you still pay for your fuel AFTER you've filled up. Advertisers are scum!

 

[mxsweb]

Pihole

 

[mxsweb]

Does it stop working when AWS is down?

 

[tenjikuronin]

let's say my three favorite words together

class action lawsuit

 

[yukari]

I would never buy Samsung appliances especially refrigerators.

They are a piece of junk. Only lasts a couple of years.

 

[buttongerald]

We do not need Smart Appliances. Innovation? Nay. Here's just another opportunity to sell you something more expensive, AND invade your privacy as well.

Never-mind the fact that these things are probably a colossal pain in the ass to repair and get parts for.

A fridge is a cold box, a stove is a hot box with hot bits on top. They don't need anymore levels of complexity. If you can do it with Ice and Snow or hot coals, Siri, Alexa, and whatever Google has these days doesn't need to be involved.

 

[JonneyGee]

How did we get here??

Greed.

 

[Rradcircless]

This is capital D Dystopian.

 

[buttongerald]

Greed.

Yeah, only a matter of time before one of these fridges comes out and won't let you increase/decrease the temperature or even open the crisper drawers without adding a subscription.

 

[Solver]

With every purchase, a free Telescreen you can’t turn off.

 

[JonneyGee]

I don't understand the need for refrigerators to be "smart." Cut that **** out.

I don’t care about having a screen, but a smart fridge has a lot of nice perks.

• Notification for unexpected temperature changes (i.e. something broke)
• Notification for a door left open
• Turn the ice maker on/off from your phone
• Notification when it’s time to change the filter
• Control and check the temp from your phone

It’s useful for things like that.

 

[frozencarbonite]

I have no need for an internet connected Fridge so I'm OK. However, if I did want one. I'll buy a different brand.

That's the thing though. It's hard to find one that DOESN'T connect to the internet. You have to buy an older model to get something like that, which is fine, but then you run the risk of it no longer being supported. Same thing applies to ovens nowadays.

 

[Spacewiz]

I love my "dumb" appliances and TV and will do everything I can to keep them that way for as long as possible. Heck, I'm even thinking of ditching my iPhone for a dumb, basic phone that "Just Works" making phone calls and sending simple texts.

Our washer and our oven both have the capability to be connected to the internet...to benefit my life exactly how? I just said No.

 

[JohnC1959]

I don’t care about having a screen, but a smart fridge has a lot of nice perks.

• Notification for unexpected temperature changes (i.e. something broke)
• Notification for a door left open
• Turn the ice maker on/off from your phone
• Notification when it’s time to change the filter
• Control and check the temp from your phone

It’s useful for things like that.

So my less smart fridge lets me know when the door is open with a beep. But so does the dishwasher and every other appliance. I don't know if I need it to notify my phone, but with all the beeping I now wish it spoke "The fridge door is open" so I can quickly know which appliance is demanding my attention.

 

[risenphoenixkai]

I see someone at Samsung decided Cyberpunk 2077 was an instruction book instead of a cautionary tale.

Bring on the high-decibel fridge ads for MILFGUARD and Mr Whitey, I guess.

 

[wikiverse]

When terrestrial TV was mainstream

Except in that instance, you were getting the service for free. Someone had to pay for those tv shows to be made, and if it's not you, then it's the advertisers.

In this instance it's a bit different since apple bundles the software with the hardware which you're purchasing. Apple also makes Apple Maps the default app, and it gives notifications when it connects to your car even if you never use Apple Maps. It means Maps is deeply integrated into the OS - recognising which bluetooth connections are made, monitoring your travel to recommend destinations/routes even when you don't use (and have never used) the maps app.

Arguably this means it's not a separate service that you're getting for free, but part of the phone you already paid for. That is why it feels wrong to introduce ads. It would be like introducing adds to Apple Photos when trying to take a photo.

 

[Student of Life]

People will always complain but you don’t have to connect your refrigerator to the internet…

You can always connect it to a separate home network (that is not connected to the Internet)

Some people would rather have the advertising included - to potentially reduce the cost of the fridge itself

This is a premium flagship product that is priced in 3k to 4k range. I could at least understand the argument if ads were included in a 1k fridge or less. I wouldn't agree with that logic but I could understand it. That is not the case here, this is a premium product with a non sale price of $4,999 dollars, even with a substantial discount it is going for 3500, before you add installation and extended warranty. I cannot stress how idiotic Samsung is here.