Samsung ads in refrigerators

Background

Samsung Family Hub refrigerators are premium smart appliances featuring touchscreen displays integrated into refrigerator doors, with models ranging from $1,699 to $4,999 in the United States. These refrigerators run Samsung's Tizen operating system and offer features including SmartThings integration, internal cameras for remote food monitoring, calendar synchronization, weather displays, and streaming service access.

In April 2025, Jeong Seung Moon, Samsung's EVP and Head of R&D Team for Digital Appliances, stated to The Verge that Samsung had "no plans regarding the inclusion of advertisements on AI Home screens" when asked about potential advertising expansion beyond television products. This statement came in response to growing consumer concerns about Samsung's expanding advertising ecosystem across smart devices.

Incident

On September 16, 2025, Reddit user u/angrycatmeowmeow posted screenshots of a software update changelog for their Samsung Family Hub refrigerator that explicitly mentioned the addition of advertisements to the Cover Screen display. The update was delivered through an over-the-network (OTN) software update that users could not decline without losing smart functionality.

The advertisements appear on the Cover Screen when the refrigerator display is idle, specifically affecting the Weather, Color, and Daily Board themes. Users who select Art Mode or Gallery themes can currently avoid advertisements, though Samsung has not guaranteed these themes will remain ad-free.

Affected models include all major Family Hub refrigerator lines sold in the United States, including:

• RF28T5F01 series (28 cu. ft. 3-Door French Door)
• RF27T5501 series (26.5 cu. ft.)
• RF22R7551 series (22 cu. ft. 4-Door)
• RF29A9771 series (29 cu. ft. 4-Door Flex)
• Bespoke AI Family Hub models
• RS28A5F61 and RS22T5561 Side-by-Side models

Samsung's response

On September 18, 2025, Samsung confirmed the advertising program to Android Authority with an official statement:

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.

Samsung's statement indicated that advertisements can be dismissed on individual basis but will reappear during campaign periods. The company confirmed there is no option to completely disable advertisements while maintaining smart features.

In May 2025, Travis Scott Howe, Samsung's Global Head of New Product Solutions at Samsung Ads, had presented the company's vision at their NewsFronts presentation, stating they "envision a world where Samsung Ads brings your brand message to every screen in the connected home and beyond."

Technical implementation

The advertisements are delivered through Samsung's existing Tizen operating system infrastructure, utilizing domains including:

• samsungads.com
• config.samsungads.com
• ads.samsungacr.com
• samsungcloudsolution.com
• events.samsungads.com
• log-config.samsungacr.com

Users have reported that Pi-hole configurations can block advertisements by filtering these domains at the DNS level. However, blocking certain domains may disable features such as the internal camera functionality for viewing fridge contents remotely.

Disconnecting the refrigerator from the internet eliminates advertisements but also disables:

• SmartThings remote control
• Weather information updates
• Software updates including security patches
• Voice assistant functionality (Bixby and Alexa)
• Calendar synchronization
• Streaming services
• Remote camera access

Lawsuit

As of September 19, 2025, no class action lawsuits have been filed specifically regarding the refrigerator advertising program. However, legal experts have identified potential claims under the Federal Trade Commission Act Section 5 for deceptive practices, given Samsung's April 2025 denial of advertising plans followed by September implementation.

Samsung has faced previous litigation regarding its refrigerator products, including multiple class action lawsuits for ice maker defects affecting various models. The company faces over 30 class action lawsuits annually across all product categories in the United States.

Consumer response

Consumer reaction has been overwhelmingly negative across social media platforms and technology forums. The original Reddit post triggered viral spread across technology communities, with users expressing particular anger about paying premium prices for appliances that now display advertisements.

Gizmodo reported that consumer comments included suggestions to "install uBlock Origin" on refrigerators and declarations to boycott Samsung products entirely. One frequently cited comment stated "My workaround for this is to never buy Samsung products."

Technical communities have shared various workarounds, including:

• Pi-hole DNS filtering configurations
• Router-level domain blocking
• Network isolation of affected appliances
• Selective firewall rules to maintain functionality while blocking ad servers

Consumer Reports rates Samsung French-door refrigerators' predicted reliability as "Fair," their lowest recommendation tier, with a 34% problem rate for water/ice dispensers compared to 15% median across brands.

Industry context

Samsung is currently the only major appliance manufacturer implementing refrigerator advertising. Competitors including LG, Whirlpool, GE, and Bosch maintain traditional hardware-focused business models without post-purchase advertising.

Samsung's television advertising business provides context for the refrigerator program. Samsung TV Plus reached 88 million monthly active users globally, generating significant advertising revenue beyond hardware sales. Industry analysts suggest Samsung views appliance advertising as a natural extension of its successful television advertising model.