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Samsung accidentally freezes its smart fridges with a software update
Another reason to think twice about buying a connected appliance.
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TL;DR
- Samsung has halted a SmartThings update to smart fridges in Korea after some owners reported that their fridges stopped working.
- Samsung confirmed the issue and said it was taking “emergency measures.”
- This latest issue once again highlights the risks associated with using connected appliances.
There are plenty of smart home appliances on the market, featuring internet connectivity, cross-device integration, and a host of other features. However, there’s no shortage of horror stories about these connected appliances failing. Now, we can add another Samsung smart refrigerator issue to the list.
Samsung has stopped rolling out a SmartThings update to its smart refrigerators in Korea after some owners reported major issues, ZDNET Korea reports. More specifically, many users on Samsung’s Korea Community forum report that their fridges completely stopped working, resulting in spoiled food. Other issues include the automatic door-opening function not working and the fridge’s internal lights not turning on.
A Samsung representative confirmed the issue on the company’s forum:
Yesterday (9/22), an error occurred during the testing process for a Samsung refrigerator software update.
Abnormal symptoms have been observed in the refrigerator power and screen of some customers.
We are currently taking emergency measures as a top priority through Samsung Electronics Service Centers.
The fact that this issue apparently occurred while Samsung was testing a software update for the fridges is very concerning. It raises the question of how a work-in-progress software update found its way onto users’ fridges in the first place. ZDNet Korea suggests that the update was pushed out to users due to a “system error.” A Samsung representative also told the outlet that it had stopped distributing the update.
Samsung has advised affected customers to contact its service center. We’ve also seen user reports that company technicians have been replacing the motherboard inside these faulty fridges. However, many customers have also urged Samsung to compensate them for the spoiled food. This issue couldn’t have come at a worse time for Korean users, as the country celebrates the Chuseok holiday on Friday.
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