When Samsung launched its first smart fridge in 2016, the right question was, “Do I really need an Android tablet stuck in the fridge door?” If you’re not convinced you need one, it’s doubtful that Samsung’s latest model – Flexible four-door hinge with Family Hub Plus Available for pre-order today – you’ll change your mind.
But if you are truly wanted was Larger Stick your Android tablet to the fridge, you’re in luck.
It’s still an expensive piece of art—about $1,000 more than Samsung’s displayless fridge. But if you love the idea of watching Samsung’s TV Plus service while chopping veggies or enjoying your fridge’s digital dashboard feature that lets you view photos, sticky notes, view recipes, control your smart home devices, and more — it’s all now on a bigger screen.
I saw the larger screen in person at CES, and it looks great; The extra space feels more useful as a kitchen TV, and with the new picture-in-picture mode, you can multitask on your tablet. The new screen is also bezel-less and blends in better when not in use. The giant tablet in your kitchen can be distracting, and Samsung has fixed this in its newer models.
As a material controller, the fridge can onboard Matter-compatible devices, such as smart lights, plugs, thermostats, and locks, to your SmartThings app, as long as it’s a Wi-Fi device (Family Hub doesn’t support Thread without additional equipment). There’s also a version of the SmartThings app on the fridge’s touchscreen tablet, which gives you a large screen to control your smart home from. I wouldn’t buy this refrigerator for Matter; There are much cheaper Matter controllers out there — including the $60 Samsung SmartThings Wireless Charger — but it’s so good it’s here.
The same software update that will bring Matter Control to all Samsung Family Hub fridges in July also adds Google Photos integration to turn your fridge into a digital photo frame and Amazon Essentials integration for one-click Amazon purchase from your fridge. Samsung also says it has improved the Cooking Dashboard, a feature that uses AI to recommend recipes and meal plans based on your preferences as well as AI-powered cameras in the fridge that can recognize the food in your fridge.
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