cross-posted from: https://programming.dev/post/37646129
Source: Reddit post— Private front-end.
Samsung Statement to Android Authority:
Samsung is committed to innovation and enhancing every day value for our home appliance customers. As part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen that value, we are conducting a pilot program to offer promotions and curated advertisements on certain Samsung Family Hub refrigerator models in the U.S. market.
As a part of this pilot program, Family Hub refrigerators in the U.S. will receive an over-the-network (OTN) software update with Terms of Service (T&C) and Privacy Notice (PN). Advertising will appear on certain Family Hub refrigerator Cover Screens. The Cover Screen appears when a Family Hub screen is idle. Ad design format may change depending on Family Hub personalization options for the Cover Screen, and advertising will not appear when Cover Screen displays Art Mode or picture albums.
Advertisements can be dismissed on the Cover Screens where ads are shown, meaning that specific ads will not appear again during the campaign period.
As a reminder, just because the appliance you bought offers an internet connection, it most likely doesn't need it for core functionality. Your smart fridge can't get an update if it can't talk to Samsung.
You and I can get $5/month sim cards that only offer 1GB/month of data, imagine the kind of cheap wholesale prices a manufacturer like Samsung could get. So it's not even a question of if you connect it to your internet and wifi, they can just connect it to cellular for essentially pennies and update it that way. The ads probably pay enough to offset that cost, especially if they brick it until you connect wifi.
I hate that you're right, but you're right.