Samsung brings ads to US fridges

(theverge.com)

35 points | by gloxkiqcza a day ago ago

14 comments

  • isawczuk 20 hours ago ago

    This is an inevitable stage for every smart appliance: it will either suddenly stop working because it is discontinued, or it will start serving ads. I would argue it the same will happen with smart glasses, autonomous cars, and other smart device

    • hilbert42 19 hours ago ago

      We need sociologists to analyze the people who would actually consider buying such an appliance and tell the rest of us what makes them tick.

      Most of the people I know wouldn't let this depraved tech into their homes. Same goes for gas stations where one is forced to watch ads whilst filling up. Most of the ones around me have been dismantled because people have avoided them in favor of stations that had not installed the tech.

      By analyzing such people we can teach kids how not to be manipulated by sleazeball corporations like Samsung.

  • sieep 21 hours ago ago

    I can't wait to ditch my Samsung phone for a google pixel with Graphene.

  • rzzzwilson a day ago ago

    If there are two versions of fridges, one with and one without, the one with better be cheaper. Also expect an uptick in "How do I ..," questions related to removal or bypassing the ads.

  • hedora 21 hours ago ago

    They’ve been creating mesh networks to allow their fridges to send surveillance data back to Samsung and customize ads on Samsung TVs for a while.

    Their appliances are unreliable, I repairable garbage, and their support is even worse.

    Even ads, buying their products is a terrible idea.

    • pavel_lishin 21 hours ago ago

      > They’ve been creating mesh networks to allow their fridges to send surveillance data back to Samsung and customize ads on Samsung TVs for a while.

      I would like to read more about this.

      • ProllyInfamous 19 hours ago ago

        see Amazon's Sidewalk™ (e.g. essentially every Siri, echo, and internet doorbell)

        A few larger retails participate in beacon tracking patrons (i.e. tracking their mobile devices' bluetooth/WiFi pings). This requires no active participation/agreement from the users/devices — if you have those services' antennae `ON`, they are constantly `announcing`.

        There is even a massive network of crypto currency nodes, which uses geoscarcity to award tokens by relaying LoRa traffic (e.g. Helium [0]). A popular current use of this is for inventory tracking in-transit as well as stolen tool monitoring (e.g. Bosch).

        It's not far-fetched that these technologies will continue their un-opt-out-able expansion (e.g. all the roadway vehicle scanners, which track you even if you don't have a license plate visible and don't carry a cell phone).

        [0] https://world.helium.com/en/network/iot

  • tomkarho 19 hours ago ago

    Good. One less brand for me to consider when looking for my appliances.

  • trenbologna 21 hours ago ago

    Funny how this is on an ad riddled website

  • jdc0589 21 hours ago ago

    imagine being OK with your refrigerator giving you ads. ridiculous.

    • notyourwork 21 hours ago ago

      I don’t think there exists a consumer who wants this.

      • barbazoo 20 hours ago ago

        It’ll get bought, hence people “want” it.

  • more_corn 21 hours ago ago

    Never buy a Samsung product again.

  • beameup10 a day ago ago

    [dead]