Why do companies do this? Why add features that you know 100% of your customers are going to hate? Take Samsung's latest idea: ads on your fridge. Yes, really. Samsung just rolled out an update to their Family Hub smart refrigerators in the U.S., and now the big shiny screen that was supposed to make your life easier is also going to serve you ads. Because clearly what we all wanted while grabbing milk at 2AM was a pop-up ad for detergent.
Samsung's official line is that this is all about "enhancing everyday value" and "curated promotions." Translation: they want to squeeze a little more cash out of a product you already paid full price for. These ads will show up on the fridge's Cover Screen when idle, though Samsung promises they won't interfere with Art Mode or your photo albums. Gee, thanks.
Here's the thing: ads used to be simple. Free TV had ads, paid TV didn't. Then it all started creeping. First into theaters (where you pay for a ticket and still sit through Coke commercials), then into your paid streaming services, and now into your kitchen appliances. And the worst part? You don't get anything in return. The fridge isn't cheaper. You don't get free upgrades. Nothing. You just get ads, whether you like it or not.
This is just a "pilot program" for now, but let's be real - Samsung isn't testing whether customers like this (spoiler: we don't). They're testing how easily they can slip this in and what other screens in your house they can monetize next. Nobody asked for this. Nobody wants this. But here we are, one software update away from your microwave asking if you'd like fries with that.