Some of Samsung’s AI Fridges Became Giant, Cool Bricks After Bad Update
A SmartThings software update went sour for some owners of Samsung smart fridges in Korea when their devices became unresponsive, as reported by outlets like ZDNet Korea. Reports found owners complaining about spoiled food due to their refrigerators shutting down and being unable to cool.
Samsung said it’s addressing the problem, but the timing of the bug could not have been worse, happening just days before the Sept. 24 start of Chuseok, a major fall harvest holiday.
A representative for Samsung did not respond to a request for comment.
A Samsung community page for its SmartThings products said that the company accidentally sent internal test software to customers on Sept. 22, resulting in “abnormal symptoms regarding the power and screen of some customers’ refrigerators.” The post said the company was prioritizing emergency measures through its Samsung Electronics service centers.
Some users on the forum complained that they were not promised service until Sept. 29, after Chuseok, or even into October. “You’re saying you’ll come and check on the food after it’s all rotten?” wrote one (translated from Korean).
Most reports seem to originate around the company’s newer models of the Bespoke AI 4-door refrigerator. Since debuting at CES in 2021, Samsung’s Bespoke product line has been pitched as a way to shift home appliances from anonymous metal boxes to customizable, intelligent lifestyle items. So far, there haven’t been any reports of Samsung fridges experiencing this problem outside Korea.
The internet of (broken) things
A bricked phone is an inconvenience. A bricked fridge is a biohazard. Welcome to the internet of broken things.
Smart home devices can make life much easier, but when software on internet-connected appliances goes wrong, it can lead to frustration and lost time. Smart appliances with Wi-Fi and AI are also susceptible to privacy violations, such as the sale of private data, and to outright danger from hackers. Simply being online makes them easy targets, and because they lack the constant security updates that smartphones and PCs receive, they’re often more exposed.
Advanced internet-based features can add convenient capabilities to appliances, such as downloading recipes or gathering information about what’s inside your smart fridge. But app and internet connectivity requirements add a level of complexity and vulnerability that wouldn’t be an issue with traditional, nonconnected gadgets or appliances.
Last month, pet lovers who owned Petlibro feeders expressed outrage when an app outage left their devices inoperable for longer than the company promised. Some who were traveling found their pets left at home hungry. The company issued a public update but faced even greater backlash when customers continued to have problems days after a reported fix was rolled out.
Smart tech has gotten more efficient and reliable in recent years, but diagnosing a failure is still a massive headache. After all, it could be your Wi-Fi, a software or firmware update, or simply the age of the device itself.
Omar Gallaga has covered technology, digital culture and other topics for outlets including CNET, NPR, WIRED, Texas Monthly, MSNBC, Consumer Reports, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, The Atlantic and the Austin American-Statesman, where he was a longtime tech reporter, editor and podcaster. He lives in the Texas Hill Country. See full bio
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