"The refrigerator is dead": Samsung's AI fridges shut down after update, causes outrage

[u/Ornery_Speech3323]

https://www.notebookcheck.net/The-refrigerator-is-dead-Samsung-s-AI-fridges-shut-down-after-update-sparking-outrage.1406447.0.html

[u/GreatGojira]

My dumb fridge without a screen works pretty good. Even my old fridge that came with the house, at least from the 90s, still works with no updates needed.

[u/arkofjoy → u/GreatGojira]

But what if your fridge gets hacked? Doesn't sound like you are very security conscious?

Or if your Mayo goes bad? Wouldn't you want to know?

[u/NuclearVII → u/arkofjoy]

Lemme introduce you to the Mk. 1 nose. Very good at detecting bad mayo.

[u/arkofjoy → u/NuclearVII]

Crazy. Really I'm trying to figure out what the fuck an AI fridge is supposed to do?

But really I am thinking of the far side cartoon "when mayonnaise goes bad"

I'm not so sure about that.

[u/scoshi → u/arkofjoy]

It's pretty simple:

• You ask the fridge, "Are we out of milk?"
• The fridge thinks, starts to produce an answer, changes its mind, and replies "I'm sorry, I can't answer that."

[u/footpole → u/scoshi]

”Yes, you should buy more milk”
”But there is still milk”
”You’re absolutely right. I should have been more accurate with my response. ”

[u/IveDunGoofedUp → u/footpole]

"I've made a catastrophic mistake. Those eggs you wanted me to tell you about when they were going off? They've been off for weeks. In fact, everything in the fridge is off because I've been slowly increasing the internal temperature until it's all room temperature. I know you explicitly told me to keep the temperatures at 7°C, but I didn't. As a result, I've decided to uninstall myself and call a demolition crew to get rid of me. Goodbye"

[u/Zealousideal_Rise879 → u/IveDunGoofedUp]

Or.

“Those eggs were a subscription that has since expired. You are currently in possession of unlicensed food! Authorities have been notified”

[u/Ashaman00 → u/Zealousideal_Rise879]

Unauthorized Bread

[u/24-Hour-Hate → u/footpole]

And then it will tell you again you need milk.

[u/Blofish1 → u/scoshi]

Open the refrigerator doors HAL

[u/RumandDiabetes → u/Blofish1]

I cannot do that. You've already had your quota of food today. Please go walk 10,000 steps as confirmed by your wearable connected device to earn extra dinner points

[u/HenryDorsettCase47 → u/RumandDiabetes]

“But I already walked over 10k steps today doing gig work at the lithium mines through iCart!”

[u/No-Dig-4408 → u/RumandDiabetes]

I feel like this is maybe a Black Mirror episode?

[u/IsThatAll → u/No-Dig-4408]

"15 million merits" - Season 1, Episode 2 is the episode that springs to mind, but not quite the same premise.

[u/MrPloppyHead → u/Blofish1]

“After you have watched this 30s video from our sponsors”

[u/faberkyx → u/arkofjoy]

Wait for the next AI fridge that will suddenly decide to cut off the power because it got from the weather news that the temperature where you are connected from is below zero

[u/homerjaythompson → u/faberkyx]

Or the system gets hacked by DoorDash to raise fridge temperatures in the city to cause spoilage and lead to increased DoorDash orders.

[u/nashbrownies → u/homerjaythompson]

The opening salvos of the Corpo Wars

[u/therealchadius → u/nashbrownies]

Every day we edge closer to Demolition Man's hyper consolidation by Pizza Hut/Taco Bell

[u/jimothee → u/nashbrownies]

I just signed my inferior fridge up for boot camp to get ahead of this

[u/DgingaNinga → u/faberkyx]

Or better yet, your power company says you need to conserve energy. Please disregard the 5 data centers next door, still operating at full capacity

[u/Wolf3188 → u/DgingaNinga]

This was a thing in some states in Australia for AC units. You could get a one-time rebate for installing a "smart" AC unit that could be remotely reduced to 50% capacity by the grid operator.

It was pretty widespread but drew a lot of critisicm and apparently has now been scrapped.

[u/kyrsjo → u/DgingaNinga]

Someone has to do the number crunching for the ai fridges to send a push alert about suspicious looking mayo, likely due to very high temperatures!

[u/robotred12 → u/arkofjoy]

You can play Skyrim on it.

[u/StuChenko → u/robotred12]

Does it run Doom?

[u/scoshi → u/robotred12]

Or Doom. Gotta start with Doom. It's tradition.

[u/NotAMeatPopsicle → u/scoshi]

After Doom, you test Crysis.

[u/IveDunGoofedUp → u/NotAMeatPopsicle]

How to turn your fridge into an oven in three easy steps.

[u/zuzg → u/arkofjoy]

what the fuck an AI fridge is supposed to do?

I mean ideally it not only takes stock and warns me when things are about to expire, like you said.
It also constantly checks official Websites to see if one of the products I purchased is getting recalled.
Additionally checking my nearby stores for sales of my favorites.

But that would require actual intelligence which those things aren't.
So they only spy on you and raise your electric bill...

[u/And-Still-Undisputed → u/zuzg]

man if only we humans had eyes and brains... thank god for these 'smart' fridges

[u/Monteze → u/And-Still-Undisputed]

I found a life-hack guys! So they make this stuff called p....ayy..payper..paper! And pens! Did you know you could take analog notes on it! It like...saves your information for you but you don't need the cloud!

[u/maersyl → u/Monteze]

If only there was some way I could affix these bits of paper to the front of the fridge so I could create a list of items and reminders!

[u/PizzaWhole9323 → u/And-Still-Undisputed]

Someone else on this thread said they have a factory installed, original parts, mark one nose that works really well. 😆

[u/OutrageousRhubarb853 → u/arkofjoy]

It’s probably not meant to do anything g with the exception of draining money from your pockets. Billy down the road has an AI fridge so we need to get one.

[u/TheFlyingBoxcar → u/OutrageousRhubarb853]

Thats preposterous!

No one is named Billy anymore. Now if Jaxckson and Greighnda down the street have one well then shit, I better get two!

[u/Fuzzy_Client9323 → u/arkofjoy]

Mine tell me when the door is left open. My kids play music on it. My wife leave messages on the screen. The screen tell me when to replace the water filter. I want my old refrigerator back.

and the screen locks up and I have to push a button to reset it. And the most useless feature, it will show you the inside of the fridge on the screen. All it really shows you is the item you put in front of the camera.

[u/cgw3737 → u/NuclearVII]

And then there's the eyes for reading the expiration date 👀

[u/sekh60 → u/arkofjoy]

Or if you aren't getting enough ads! The horror!

[u/arkofjoy → u/sekh60]

Because that is what I want. I cut out pages from magazines stick them on my fridge, because it doesn't have ads, and I don't have enough of them.

[u/Fuzzy_Inevitable9748 → u/arkofjoy]

I like to keep a pile of adds on the kitchen counter and have been using them instead of lettuce on my sandwiches.

[u/keytiri → u/arkofjoy]

Who’d want to hack my fridge? Now if I gave my fridge intelligence, would I have to worry about it getting my neighbor’s fridge pregnant or hacking into the school to change its grades? 🤔

[u/Direct_Day7937 → u/keytiri]

What if it starts talking to all the neighborhood fridges and forms a hacker group?

[u/unicornlocostacos → u/arkofjoy]

What if Al Qaeda wanted to make my milk spoil???

[u/ColeTrain999 → u/GreatGojira]

But who will serve you fresh ads at 1am when you want a snack before you open your door?

[u/Hardass_McBadCop → u/GreatGojira]

It turns out that older, less complicated appliances are the ones the last? Color me surprised.

[u/SirkutBored → u/Hardass_McBadCop]

those appliances are no longer profitable enough because people weren't replacing them often enough to keep shareholders happy.

[u/McCool303 → u/GreatGojira]

Yes, but then how are you going to get the added value of your refrigerator synching with your tracking device and monitoring your every move and selling you data?

[u/id-driven-fool → u/GreatGojira]

The fridge that came with my house is one of those archaic all white fridges from the 90s, sits in the 90+ degree garage 24/7, is rusted all over and the seal is all withered away.

It works 100% better than the 2 stainless steel modern fridges I’ve bought in the last 5 years

[u/franker → u/id-driven-fool]

Same here, I have one in my south florida garage but it's even older, at least from the eighties. We just call it "the tank." It has faux wood paneling on the handles, otherwise all white with lots of rust on the outside. I've already replaced the much newer washing machine and dryer sitting next to it, but the fridge keeps going.

[u/No_Size9475 → u/GreatGojira]

My last home had a fridge in the basement that was clearly from the late 70s, running fine.

[u/69tendo → u/No_Size9475]

Better go catch it then

[u/uponloss → u/GreatGojira]

My chest freezer is at least 35 years old and still works perfectly. My drinks fridge in the shed is about 25 years old and although its looking worse for wear, its still perfectly working

[u/N3ph1l1m]

How do you fuck up a fridge so much that a software update can fry the fucking refrigeration cycle? Like why the fuck would you even have that on the same system?

[u/Thiht → u/N3ph1l1m]

Right?? Assuming the smart thingies will fail or be bricked seems like engineering 101, so everything should gracefully degrade as a dumb fridge. Like an electric toothbrush, when the electric part fails it just becomes a regular toothbrush

[u/ConfusedInKalamazoo → u/Thiht]

But then you don't have to buy a new one.

[u/Astrophages → u/Thiht]

The escalator is now stairs, sorry for the convenience. 

-Mitch

[u/False_Bumblebee4997 → u/Thiht]

I like escalators because they can never break, it just becomes stairs.

Caution temporary stairs!

[u/oldsecondhand → u/False_Bumblebee4997]

Escalator brakes can break, and they can lead to pretty nasty accidents.

[u/Silicon_Knight → u/N3ph1l1m]

Hey ChatGPT make me fridge software, oh make it stable okay?

[u/GameOfTroglodytes → u/Silicon_Knight]

Make no mistakes

[u/Silicon_Knight → u/GameOfTroglodytes]

See they forgot that part :)

[u/bizbizbizllc → u/Silicon_Knight]

It’s like a genie wish, you have to think of all the traps and gotchas

[u/MushroomSaute → u/[deleted]]

Ah, there's the smoking gun ⸻ you said to think of all the traps and gotchas, and I put those into the code:

• The traps bring in the bugs.
• The gotchas expose the bugs.
• The code fries the circuits.

I understand your frustration completely. No bells, no whistles, no fluff: I made a mistake. I'll do better next time ⸻ this was a real learning moment for me. No more mistakes from now on!

[u/MediocreAnalyst2121 → u/GameOfTroglodytes]

And add a chatbot that can control the refrigerator.

[u/Leptonshavenocolor → u/GameOfTroglodytes]

Thanks for pointing that out, you are right!

[u/SplendidPunkinButter → u/GameOfTroglodytes]

Don’t hallucinate

[u/privatetudor → u/N3ph1l1m]

Home appliances I’m willing to buy from Samsung:

[u/MetaPhalanges → u/privatetudor]

I've had a lot of shitty TVs for a lot of reasons. But they were shit when I got them. The only TV I've had that went to shit on it's own was a Samsung.

I feel like they used to have a nice rep as a consumer goods brand, but that's gone IMO. I'm never buying anything from them again if I can reasonably help it.

[u/OkZookeepergame4757 → u/MetaPhalanges]

Pre 2014 Samsung TV's continue to do the job for me....all good.

[u/lynkfox → u/privatetudor]

As someone who got suckered into a deal and have a full kitchen of Samsung ...

Yeah fucking don't.

[u/swollennode → u/N3ph1l1m]

Because instead of relying on good programming techniques and quality control, they rush out products with the intention of fixing bugs via updates.

[u/mrchin12 → u/N3ph1l1m]

I'm sure it's not a Samsung thing but my 2014 era appliances already have too much faulty tech that dictates too much of the system. I had to replace the microwave (because my wife didn't want to wait 6 months for me to 3D print a button for the membrane keypad interface and nothing available in the used/aftermarket market).

I reluctantly ended up with a new samsung cause I didn't want to make a bigger project out of it. It's a full touch panel and it's 1000 times worse than any point in the history of the microwave. Also I can only update certain features with an app over WiFi which I refuse to humor. The touch panel just doesn't wake up some times so I can't use the hood vent or lights or anything.

As a hardware-ish engineer, I'm begging other engineers and marketing/CEO/finance people, STOP making features that just add layers of bugs. It's cool, I like tech, but you know what I like more, reliability. Less actually is more in the consumer experience.

[u/EkbatDeSabat → u/mrchin12]

They don’t care about you. The goal is to put as much flashy shitty expensive tech in that they can so it becomes (as if it’s already not) something you expect to replace every couple years. Far more money in making 100$ off a microwave every 2 years than $1000 off a microwave that lasts 50.  

[u/mrchin12 → u/EkbatDeSabat]

I'm very aware. I talk to clients every week that want god awful amounts of shit in their product until I tell them how much it costs, how much it'll break, and how many customers I've seen fail on that path.

Then they go find a design firm that will just do what they want.

The issue I have is that it's not a $100 appliance. It's still a $1000 appliance. And the issue isn't longevity, I can accept that I got 10+ years out of my appliances before replacement (although you can argue it's still just a rental if the depreciation is that expected but whatever that's a spiritual argument about capitalism). And actually it still works fine, but a button broke which made it inconvenient and I couldn't replace the button so that's getting into "right to repair" arguments. Again after 10 years I don't expect to find parts easily but damn I thought I'd find something.

My point is that the every day use of the products is getting dumber and worse along the way. We're actively designing products to be more complex in ways that aren't value added.

[u/housewithapool2 → u/N3ph1l1m]

I am sorry but I saw this coming a mile away. Everybody should have. These companies will not update obsolete software. They dont want to.

[u/exact_metal_666 → u/N3ph1l1m]

How do you fuck up a fucking fridge so much that it needs fucking software?

[u/Smith6612 → u/N3ph1l1m]

It's Samsung. Expecting them to code software that doesn't shit the bed is asking a lot of of them. It took them many, many years on the Android side of the house to make a lightweight enough OS (OneUI was the start of that, TouchWiz though...). Their Tizen OS is still pretty heavy.

[u/Mouthshitter → u/N3ph1l1m]

Refrigeration was perfected in the 1950s.

There no need for AI to keep food cold

[u/Al_Keda]

This is why we must demand that we own the things we buy.

If there is any hook back to the manufacturer, we don't own it. Repeal the DMCA.

[u/farmtownsuit → u/Al_Keda]

You're right but in this case maybe just don't buy a fridge that connects to the fucking Internet. 

[u/CyberCurrency → u/farmtownsuit]

Yeah I really don't get the hype over wifi connected appliances(at least in the form companies are launching them).

[u/Dr-McLuvin → u/CyberCurrency]

It’s possibly the dumbest thing ever attempted by any industry ever.

[u/FuraidoChickem → u/Dr-McLuvin]

Like what even is the point? Are there any USP at all?

[u/Dr-McLuvin → u/FuraidoChickem]

Besides just fucking spying on people, it’s an attempt to sell your grocery shopping data to the highest bidder, improving their margins.

[u/ID_Pillage → u/FuraidoChickem]

Not going to lie, my ADHD loves the idea of being able to check the contents of my fridge while in the supermarket. However I will still never buy an appliance connected to the Internet for some convenience.

[u/numbersthen0987431 → u/CyberCurrency]

I'm finding it harder and harder to find those options though.

We bought a washer and dryer a few years back, and the cheapest one available had wifi/Bluetooth. All of the non wifi/Bluetooth options cost more money or were out of stock indefinitely.

We've never set it up, because why? But it's more of the fact that these all have it built in

[u/DigNitty → u/numbersthen0987431]

The WiFi/Bluetooth ones still scour available networks and devices connected, even if you don’t connect them to your own.

See : the recent LG tv scandal.

Unless you live with no neighbors and purposely set up your own modem/router instead of using the ISP’s, your smart appliances are likely successfully collecting location, time, device type, and connection data on you all day every day.

[u/Merkuri22 → u/numbersthen0987431]

We had a treadmill with a similar problem. It wanted us to buy some sort of subscription to just use the damn thing, and my partner had to scour the internet to find a way to turn that off so we could just, ya know... walk on it.

It's so so hard to find things like that nowadays that aren't connected in some way.

[u/CrashTestDumby1984 → u/farmtownsuit]

It’s getting harder and harder. Even if it doesn’t have a screen they keep putting WiFi chips in everything (to harvest customer data)

[u/da_chicken → u/farmtownsuit]

Sure, sure.

Except the landlords for apartment complexes and developers of new homes are absolutely going to take the very slight discount on appliances when the cost of serving ads and spying on the occupants isn't even a cost he has to deal with. Especially when they don't serve ads for the first 3 months of service.

When that goes on long enough that the only appliances at the store are the ones that serve ads, what will you do then?

[u/JohnnyBeeGaming → u/farmtownsuit]

The manufacturers will try to slowly phase out the dumb appliances like they did with TVs.

It lets them double dip by spying on you and shoving ads in your face.

[u/zuzg → u/Al_Keda]

Farmers Jailbreaking their John Deere Trucks has been a thing for ages.

Brussel effect is the last thing that could do a change to it.

[u/Al_Keda → u/zuzg]

I would be nice if fixing your own tractor weren't a crime though.

Copyright went from a tort to a crime with the DMCA.

[u/stuffitystuff → u/Al_Keda]

Or just don't put your fridge on your wifi.

[u/LSTmyLife → u/stuffitystuff]

A sentence that has no buisness existing for the same reason a fridge shouldnt need to be on the god damned wifi.

[u/wayoverpaid → u/LSTmyLife]

https://xkcd.com/463/

Strictly better than the alternative but someone is doing something wrong.

[u/Al_Keda → u/stuffitystuff]

See the Gamers Nexus story on LG TVs. They put themselves on WiFi.

[u/Fragrant_Scratch8305 → u/Al_Keda]

How does it get the password?

[u/BorgDad42 → u/Fragrant_Scratch8305]

It also scans for nearby open networks without password requirements, and joins them. Gotta have a pipe to send that sweet, sweet personal data back for $$$

[u/CommanderZx2 → u/stuffitystuff]

Some devices ship disabled until you connect them to a mobile app that of course connects to the internet. I had that very experience with a treadmill.

The device arrived completely locked down and it would do absolutely nothing no matter what button was pressed until you install their app on a phone, sign up for an account and then tapped the NFC place on the treadmill.

This was not even stated as a requirement on the seller page.

[u/svenjoy_it]

Suck it, Jin-Yang!

[u/SaladEfficient420 → u/svenjoy_it]

"... and you mispell my name."

[u/ABoxOfNails → u/svenjoy_it]

Oh my gosh, brilliant reference!

[u/freethrowtommy → u/svenjoy_it]

I added a little visual flair.

[u/jooooooohn → u/svenjoy_it]

“New Pied Piper”

[u/jamoheehoo → u/svenjoy_it]

So ahead of their time

[u/seboll13 → u/svenjoy_it]

I see we possess the same reference.

[u/JuliaX1984]

You can still buy dumb fridges. Why would anyone buy a smart fridge? You plug it in, it needs to stay cold. No Internet access needed. Ice makers and water dispeners don't need Internet access or remote control, either.

[u/radiohead-nerd → u/JuliaX1984]

I will not buy any kitchen appliance that connects to WiFi

[u/Routine_Strategy5929 → u/radiohead-nerd]

I wont buy any again. Bought an LG stove with smart features and the oven wouldn't turn on one day. Turns out the app had a new security agreement and locked out using the oven that I paid $1700 for until the new agreement was accepted. There was no alternative.

It's been a shitty stove anyway. The burners don't hold accurate temps. You can have a pot about to boil over from having it on high which is fine. Until you turn down the heat and the burner just stays on? Drop it down super low like 2 or lower and the burner finally turns off. Then it's well below boiling and you need to turn the dial back up. Was it really not possible to have a more accurate temperature sensing device for a $1700 stove top? Oh yeah and the numbers and marks on the dials literally wiped off after cleaning them with Lysol. Fucking Lysol, a common household cleaner, stripped off the markings on the dials you turn to set things without any scrubbing or vigorous force.

Now after GN's report on LG TVs I wouldn't be surprised if my oven is sending back audio from around my house for selling to advertisers. Or at least storing it since it's the app has been deleted and it's not connected to Wifi anymore.

[u/Arliss_Loveless → u/JuliaX1984]

For now. But if fridges are treated like many other consumer electronics, the selection of dumb fridges you'll be able to buy will be reduced to a tiny amount of low quality options many families will find inadequate. Companies want you to buy the smart fridge and they will eliminate non smart options to leave you with essentially no choice.

[u/whineylittlebitch_9k → u/Arliss_Loveless]

I'm evaluating the feasibility of starting a manufacturing plant to create quality "dumb" appliances, along with spare parts manufacturing and providing service manuals with the purchase. I know the upfront cost is going to be huge and the big players will either try to push me out of the market or offer a buy out, but I'm sick of planned obsolescence and unnecessary tech complexity added to products that no one asked for.

[u/woodstock923 → u/JuliaX1984]

You mean you don't want it automatically charging you for food you remove from the fridge? It sounds like a brilliant idea.

[u/palidor42 → u/woodstock923]

Isn't that how it works in The Sims?

[u/DerVarg1509 → u/palidor42]

Yes, but in Sims the fridges have infinite amounts of food inside them, in our reality this is still missing

[u/Direct_Day7937 → u/palidor42]

And cyberpunk.

[u/DIOmega5 → u/JuliaX1984]

These bricked AI fridges are the dumb fridges. Regular, non-computer fridges are functional and long lasting so it Sounds like a smart appliance to me. When I need to know what's in my fridge, I simply open the door. No TV screen necessary. 

[u/Puzzleheaded_Gene909]

Who could’ve seen that coming

[u/ExtentNo3020]

Home appliances shouldn’t need to be “smart” or have AI features. 

[u/7LeagueBoots]

No one needs or wants a ‘smart’ fridge, or washing machine, or space heater, or blender, or toaster, etc. We just want devices that do their jobs without us having to deal with apps, software updates, etc. Simple, basic, effective, physical controls, and well built.

[u/withoutapaddle → u/7LeagueBoots]

Right, but the problem is, we don't even get to choose anymore, in some cases.

I wanted a heat pump washer/dryer (they have so many benefits compared to electric or gas forced air). There isn't a single heat pump washer+dryer on the American market that isn't internet connected with a bunch of bullshit layered on top.

I made the mistake of trying the internet features, did ONE firmware update, and the fucking machine disabled a key feature I paid for as part of the firmware update. Never again.

Fuck you Samsung. And Fuck you GE. The only reason I bought the Samsung is because my GE failed completely 4 months outside of warranty.

I'm running out of companies that I can give money to who haven't fucked me over in one way or another over the years.

[u/7LeagueBoots → u/withoutapaddle]

Yep, and it’s fucking everywhere, not just in the US.

[u/ChickenFriedRiceee → u/withoutapaddle]

Fucking seriously. Look, I’m a tech guru and I like to dick around with cool gadgets and shit. But, why would I need to control my washer and dryer remote? You think I am going to trust some half ass engineered shit with vibe coded software to not burn down/flood my place while I’m gone?

You can’t even blame consumers at this point. It is either buying dog shit appliances these companies force or wash your clothes in the sink.

[u/shootamcg]

It was a Samsung fridge, every day they don’t break is a miracle

[u/Inside-Specialist-55 → u/shootamcg]

My parents got a high end Samsung fridge years ago from rentacenter and it broke down in less than a year. rentacenter fixed it and it still broke again 4 months later and we had it paid off so we were stuck with a useless junk fridge. ended up in a landfill in less than 3 years. thats depressing as hell.

[u/CouldntBAPoint2184 → u/Inside-Specialist-55]

This is exactly what the corporations want. They don't care how much trash they create just so they can make an extra buck.

[u/DenialNode → u/shootamcg]

My Samsung fridge with the built in screen worked pretty well. The ice maker on the other hand……never again. F Samsung

[u/Pilzoyz → u/DenialNode]

Every two weeks I have to take a hair dryer to it.

[u/AdminIsPassword → u/Pilzoyz]

We used to do that...until it eventually just broke. It was still under warranty so we had it replaced (after waiting a couple weeks for a service technician to become available). Then that one broke too after a couple months.

The icemaker itself was probably fine, the decision to put the icemaker inside the warmer section instead of the freezer...was an interesting design choice.

[u/jumpycan → u/shootamcg]

My samsung fridge has been going strong, including the ice maker, for 15 years...

[u/NuggetKing9001]

The more I see technology getting integrated into products, the more convinced I am that less technology needs to be integrated into products.

[u/Phosphorus444 → u/NuggetKing9001]

It's not technology, it's spyware they're stuffing into everything.

[u/DangerouslyOxidated → u/NuggetKing9001]

A friend has a very expensive polestar electric car.  The screens don't turn on, need a reset, complain about your order or headlights nearly every day. Always something new and different...   Nightmare.

[u/Veggiedelite90]

I, can’t for the life of me, can’t understand why anyone would want a “smart” fridge. What does it do that a normal fridge doesn’t? Keep my shit cold it’s not complicated

[u/Self_Reddicate → u/Veggiedelite90]

The problem is that you're thinking about what the consumer wants. Bad move. Think of the poor manufacturers! How can they charge you $10/mo (no, wait, $15/mo coming in June 2027) if they don't - somehow - think of some stupid smart features to put on it?!

[u/Nazrael75]

"smart" is a word that should never go in front of "refrigerator". Not everything needs internet access.

[u/Frank_Likes_Pie]

Literally nobody needs an internet-connected refrigerator with any AI features, period. What a stupid fucking product, and even dumber consumers.

[u/ExtentNo3020 → u/Frank_Likes_Pie]

Comsumers that actually buy these are part of the problem 

[u/swollennode → u/Frank_Likes_Pie]

We don’t need internet connected appliances, period.

[u/TrueSavage67]

Karma for buying an AI fridge. Ridiculous.

[u/Eorily → u/TrueSavage67]

I get that currently this only hurts the dumbest, shittiest people with extra disposable income but it still pushes the envelope towards the rest of us.

[u/TrueSavage67 → u/Eorily]

Exactly. That's what pisses me off the most. If morons want ads and AI on their fridge then fuck them, but at the end of the day, we will all have shitty AI fridges because eventually it'll be all there is.

[u/Aezetyr]

Refrigerators do not need internet connections or 'ai' for anything.

[u/C-Towner]

Mechanical triggers for function really do make the most sense for a refrigerator. Even if the temperature sensor was digital, replacing that alone would be cheap and easy. These companies are looking for trouble with this shit.

[u/th3jerbearz]

AI Fridge? What's the fucking point??

[u/SplendidPunkinButter → u/th3jerbearz]

1. Marketing
2. They can make it show ads

3. They can use automatic software updates to enforce planned obsolescence

4. They can harvest data

[u/Time_Effort → u/SplendidPunkinButter]

Okay, you covered why they sell them… But what convenience factors do they have that makes people want to buy them? Typically these types of things have utility, I just don’t see what this one could have…

[u/Synonysis → u/Time_Effort]

More people fall for shiny gimmicks than you think.

[u/thenowherepark → u/Time_Effort]

You underestimate how many people want all the features and don't take time to think about the point of all of the features.

[u/swollennode → u/Time_Effort]

They can look at their phone apps and see that their food is about to expire, which then, they can reorder the food via the app.

[u/K1Bond007 → u/th3jerbearz]

How else am I supposed to know I’m out of milk? Can’t wait for all the AI-enhanced IoT garbage that we’ll undoubtedly get.

[u/FellowDeviant]

Over $3000 for a smart fridge that craps out sooner than a $500 dumb fridge is certainly up there in worst financial decisions one can make.

[u/Probot6767]

You know what doesn’t need AI? A fucking refrigerator.

[u/DopamineSavant]

Anyone with an AI fridge deserves this.

[u/azriel_odin → u/DopamineSavant]

What would an AI even do that a thermostat doesn't do more reliably, cheaply and efficiently?

[u/Unklecid → u/azriel_odin]

Why harvest your data of course influence your eating habits with ads and shit

[u/Corey307 → u/azriel_odin]

It’s for people that are too stupid to know what they put in their fridge. 

[u/ottwebdev]

People still buy samsung fridges? Theyve been badly reviewed for years.

[u/Smith6612]

This isn't the first time Samsung fridges have done something like this. Many years ago there was an issue where a Google Calendar outage stopped the compressor from running on Samsung fridges.

The basic operation of the fridge must ALWAYS be separate from any smart features. I had a Smart AMANA fridge in 2002 capable of recording voice messages to it, telling the time, and doing automatic timers for the dispenser light. It would also send filter (water and air) reminders. Not very smart to today's standards, but if the computer died it would not impact the operation of the fridge. The fridge still used analog controls! What would break would be the ice and water dispenser. Big deal. The ice would still produce, the water wouldn't disappear, and that was it. 

[u/tibbstibbs]

Ahhhhahaha so much technology yet everything worse. Buy used!

[u/make_me_breakfast]

My fridge is at least 11 years old as it was here when I moved in. It’s the last appliance to need replacing and I’ll do that when the time comes. I’ll buy second hand before I buy a “smart” fridge.

[u/Kriegerian]

lol

I don’t need a fridge that spies on me.

[u/SayVandalay]

People who buy this crap are getting what they paid for. Who buys an AI smart fridge . Why do you need a smart fridge ?

[u/MidLifeCrysis75]

Why would you even need AI in a fridge? That’s fucking idiotic.

[u/Korzag]

Those smart and AI features on appliances are going to be used against you in every single way. Theyll even find a way to catalog your refrigerator so they can charge you more for items youre running low on.

[u/Bmw1Series_E82Fan]

There is no reason for a fridge to use AI.

[u/VHS_Ronin]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: appliances don't need to be "smart", they need to be reliable.

[u/coconutpiecrust]

The person who buys an AI fridge is an idiot and has it coming. 

While corporations push slop onto the consumer all the time, the consumer can still choose to not consume. That’s the power we have. Refuse to eat their shit. 

[u/teddykaygeebee]

When things don't need wifi or an internet connection. Kind of using AI errr sUpER iTeLliGeNcE for air traffic control.

[u/celtekk_]

If you own this fridge you literally welcomed this kind of bullshit into your home. World's smallest violin.

[u/Lampamid]

The people forcing this stuff truly hate humanity. They despise weak humans and their preference for unspoiled, safe food over having porn and Instagram on their fridge door

[u/Melodic_Crow_3409]

Just give me a basic refrigerator that keeps stuff cold. AI features are an instant no-buy for me.

[u/Dreaminginslowmotion]

I had a treadmill from Nordictrack that did the same exact thing. Smart display received a droid update that bricked it. $1200 down the drain as it wouldn't manually let you start without wanting to reboot.

Later, I learned there was a lawsuit against them that was only active a year before shutting out, if you missed the time, you were SOL.

[u/H00dedcrow]

After buying an intelligent dishwasher by mistake and the experience i had with it, leaves me in the dumb appliance camp from that moment on.

When we needed a new washing machine a little while ago, I made sure that no app and no wifi was needed to wash our clothes.

The stupid thing was, those intelligent, smart or AI appliances on display were almost twice as expensive as the dumb ones.

It gets worse when appliances advertise on their screens and brick after an update.

Never again………..

[u/BlueFeathered1 → u/H00dedcrow]

I accidentally got an air purifier that constantly tries to connect to wifi, all so it can pester me that I need a new $30 filter every month, which I don't. Never again!

[u/hugazow]

The smart branding is just that, branding. Because all smart products are dumb as fuck

[u/Intrus1ons]

There are fridges from the 50s lapping any Samsung fridge from the last 10 years

[u/Taiga-whiteclaw]

The hell does a fridge needs AI for?

[u/cr0ft]

Let's face it, anyone who pays for an "AI fridge" frankly has it coming.

I'm still low key upset that the previous owner of this house bought a Samsung fridge/freezer. Piece of crap. Don't want to spend on replacing it until it fails (again).

[u/CurrentlyLucid]

Guess they needed the superintelligent version?

[u/DaveCootchie]

This is exactly why I walk past any Samsung appliances when I need a new one.

[u/luri7555]

I wish my fridge would remind me to throw away the three year old ranch dressing.

[u/Dry-Debate-6893]

Can the fridge just be a damn fridge. I am all for tech advancements. Not everything needs to be connected to the internet.

[u/Long_Bit8328]

Oh no. I hope the screens still work. So no one misses out on any important advertisements.

[u/Outside-Inspection68]

Wait until they start with obligatory subscriptions to keep your fridge working

Are you sure this 'bug' isn't just a feature?

[u/Any_Sale2030]

Why on gods earth does a effing refrigerator need to be connected to the internet?   Anyone who buys this simply does not understand what a fridge is really used for.  

[u/MyAccountWasBanned7]

Samsung paying out refunds on all those fridges and reimbursements for all the spoiled groceries would be fun for us to watch. Let's see how our corrupt and evil corporate-owned government lets them weasel out of any kind of punishment...

[u/Important-Put-3936]

Why does a fridge use ai and need updates

[u/notarealcamera]

We bought a new fridge a few years ago and it was a bitch trying to find a good one that didn't have a screen. Out of all my appliances, the fridge is one I never needed to be "smart".

[u/Doctor_Saved]

Not sure who started the trend of connecting everything that is electronic to the internet. But it needs to stop.

[u/Ziazan]

It's kinda your own fault if you bought this. Why the fuck would you buy this?

I want my fridge to keep my food, drinks, and sauces and such cold. The only screen I would tolerate on it is a simple tiny one to tell me the internal temperature.

[u/Nayzo]

There is no reason a fridge needs to be on a network. None. A fridge does not need a display or a user interface, it just needs to keep shit cold, reliably.

[u/Jayden82]

Holy shit these comments are top tier reddit. 

To sum this thread up:

“Here is my very original opinion, no one needs a fridge connected to the internet” x300