Samsung: Difference between revisions

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{{Wplink|Samsung Group}} is a international conglomerate founded in 1938. Their product portfolio ranges from consumer electronics to heavy equipment. The company is best known to consumers for their electronics such as televisions and mobile phones, as well as their home appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines.

==Consumer-impact summary==

==Consumer impact summary==

===Repairability===

Concerns have been raised about Samsung's business practices regarding serviceability, which have been criticized by trade organizations such as iFixit, and Repair.org<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Head |first=Scott |date=23 May 2024 |title=We’re Ending Our Samsung Collaboration |url=https://it.ifixit.com/News/96162/were-ending-our-samsung-collaboration |url-status=live |access-date=29 Jun 2025 |website=iFixit |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251217192708/https://it.ifixit.com/News/96162/were-ending-our-samsung-collaboration |archive-date=17 Dec 2025}}</ref> as well as industry professionals such as Jesse Cruz the owner of VCC Board Repairs,{{Citation needed}} and former technicians from Samsung's Independent Genuine Service Program, including ADRDaniel owner of Advanced Device Repair.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=26 Jun 2023 |title=Samsung authorized repair is a clown show; why good technicians reject authorization |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ITmGXHSmL0&t=53s |url-status=live |website=[[YouTube]] |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=1ITmGXHSmL0 |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref>[[File:Samsung alternate model numbers 2.png|Alternate model numbers on samsungparts.com self service parts store.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Samsung Gh82-33385a S24 Ultra Lcd No Frame |url=https://samsungparts.com/products/gh82-33385a |website=samsungparts.com |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250910131601/https://samsungparts.com/products/gh82-33385a |archive-date=10 Sep 2025}}</ref>|thumb|363x363px]]

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{{Main|Texas Attorney General sues multiple TV makers over ACR user data collection}}

On 15 December 2025, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against Samsung,<ref name="petition-samsung">{{Cite web |date=December 15, 2025 |title=State of Texas v. Samsung Electronics America, Inc., Original Petition |url=https://texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/images/press/Samsung%20TV%20Petition%20Filed.pdf |access-date=January 21, 2026 |publisher=Office of the Texas Attorney General |format=PDF |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260206163119/https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/images/press/Samsung%20TV%20Petition%20Filed.pdf |archive-date=6 Feb 2026}}</ref> alleging that the manufacturer failed to adequately disclose the data collection capabilities of {{Wplink|automatic content recognition}} (ACR) technology in their smart televisions<ref name="arstechnica">{{Cite web |last=Brodkin |first=Jon |date=December 16, 2025 |title=Texas sues biggest TV makers, alleging smart TVs spy on users without consent |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/12/texas-sues-biggest-tv-makers-alleging-smart-tvs-spy-on-users-without-consent/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260214045721/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/12/texas-sues-biggest-tv-makers-alleging-smart-tvs-spy-on-users-without-consent/ |archive-date=14 Feb 2026 |access-date=January 21, 2026 |publisher=Ars Technica}}</ref>. The lawsuit, filed under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, allege that ACR technology captures screenshots of television displays at frequent intervals and that the resulting viewing data is sold to advertisers and data brokers without meaningful consumer consent.<ref name="txag-main">{{Cite web |date=15 Dec 2025 |title=Attorney General Paxton Sues Five Major TV Companies, Including Some with Ties to CCP, for Spying on Texans |url=https://texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-paxton-sues-five-major-tv-companies-including-some-ties-ccp-spying-texans |access-date=January 21, 2026 |publisher=Office of the Texas Attorney General |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260221015756/https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-paxton-sues-five-major-tv-companies-including-some-ties-ccp-spying-texans |archive-date=21 Feb 2026}}</ref>

===Samsung SmartThings API monetization (''2026—Present'')===

On 25 June 2026, Samsung announced a transition to a new ''"Enhanced API Experience,"'' which introduces paid API tiers. This move, expected to be implemented in October 2026, directly impacts community-driven ecosystems like Home Assistant, which rely on these APIs for integration and functionality.<ref name="openhome_smartthings">{{Cite web |author= |title=Breaking free from the disposable smart home |url=https://newsletter.openhomefoundation.org/breaking-free-from-the-disposable-smart-home/ |website=Open Home Foundation |access-date=29 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260625173247/https://newsletter.openhomefoundation.org/breaking-free-from-the-disposable-smart-home/ |archive-date=25 Jun 2026}}</ref> This shift contributes to the "disposable smart home" phenomenon, where the utility and interoperability of hardware are contingent upon manufacturer-controlled pricing models and API availability.

==Products==

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 {{Wplink|Samsung Group}} is a international conglomerate founded in 1938. Their product portfolio ranges from consumer electronics to heavy equipment. The company is best known to consumers for their electronics such as televisions and mobile phones, as well as their home appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines.
-==Consumer-impact summary==
+==Consumer impact summary==
 ===Repairability===
 Concerns have been raised about Samsung's business practices regarding serviceability, which have been criticized by trade organizations such as iFixit, and Repair.org<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Head |first=Scott |date=23 May 2024 |title=We’re Ending Our Samsung Collaboration |url=https://it.ifixit.com/News/96162/were-ending-our-samsung-collaboration |url-status=live |access-date=29 Jun 2025 |website=iFixit |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251217192708/https://it.ifixit.com/News/96162/were-ending-our-samsung-collaboration |archive-date=17 Dec 2025}}</ref> as well as industry professionals such as Jesse Cruz the owner of VCC Board Repairs,{{Citation needed}} and former technicians from Samsung's Independent Genuine Service Program, including ADRDaniel owner of Advanced Device Repair.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=26 Jun 2023 |title=Samsung authorized repair is a clown show; why good technicians reject authorization |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ITmGXHSmL0&t=53s |url-status=live |website=[[YouTube]] |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=1ITmGXHSmL0 |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref>[[File:Samsung alternate model numbers 2.png|Alternate model numbers on samsungparts.com self service parts store.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Samsung Gh82-33385a S24 Ultra Lcd No Frame |url=https://samsungparts.com/products/gh82-33385a |website=samsungparts.com |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250910131601/https://samsungparts.com/products/gh82-33385a |archive-date=10 Sep 2025}}</ref>|thumb|363x363px]]
@@ Line 93: / Line 92: @@
 {{Main|Texas Attorney General sues multiple TV makers over ACR user data collection}}
 On 15 December 2025, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against Samsung,<ref name="petition-samsung">{{Cite web |date=December 15, 2025 |title=State of Texas v. Samsung Electronics America, Inc., Original Petition |url=https://texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/images/press/Samsung%20TV%20Petition%20Filed.pdf |access-date=January 21, 2026 |publisher=Office of the Texas Attorney General |format=PDF |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260206163119/https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/images/press/Samsung%20TV%20Petition%20Filed.pdf |archive-date=6 Feb 2026}}</ref> alleging that the manufacturer failed to adequately disclose the data collection capabilities of {{Wplink|automatic content recognition}} (ACR) technology in their smart televisions<ref name="arstechnica">{{Cite web |last=Brodkin |first=Jon |date=December 16, 2025 |title=Texas sues biggest TV makers, alleging smart TVs spy on users without consent |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/12/texas-sues-biggest-tv-makers-alleging-smart-tvs-spy-on-users-without-consent/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260214045721/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/12/texas-sues-biggest-tv-makers-alleging-smart-tvs-spy-on-users-without-consent/ |archive-date=14 Feb 2026 |access-date=January 21, 2026 |publisher=Ars Technica}}</ref>. The lawsuit, filed under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, allege that ACR technology captures screenshots of television displays at frequent intervals and that the resulting viewing data is sold to advertisers and data brokers without meaningful consumer consent.<ref name="txag-main">{{Cite web |date=15 Dec 2025 |title=Attorney General Paxton Sues Five Major TV Companies, Including Some with Ties to CCP, for Spying on Texans |url=https://texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-paxton-sues-five-major-tv-companies-including-some-ties-ccp-spying-texans |access-date=January 21, 2026 |publisher=Office of the Texas Attorney General |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260221015756/https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-paxton-sues-five-major-tv-companies-including-some-ties-ccp-spying-texans |archive-date=21 Feb 2026}}</ref>
+===Samsung SmartThings API monetization (''2026—Present'')===
+{{Main|Samsung SmartThings API monetization}}
+On 25 June 2026, Samsung announced a transition to a new ''"Enhanced API Experience,"'' which introduces paid API tiers. This move, expected to be implemented in October 2026, directly impacts community-driven ecosystems like Home Assistant, which rely on these APIs for integration and functionality.<ref name="openhome_smartthings">{{Cite web |author= |title=Breaking free from the disposable smart home |url=https://newsletter.openhomefoundation.org/breaking-free-from-the-disposable-smart-home/ |website=Open Home Foundation |access-date=29 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260625173247/https://newsletter.openhomefoundation.org/breaking-free-from-the-disposable-smart-home/ |archive-date=25 Jun 2026}}</ref> This shift contributes to the "disposable smart home" phenomenon, where the utility and interoperability of hardware are contingent upon manufacturer-controlled pricing models and API availability.
 ==Products==