While Samsung’s ‘Evernote fridge’ from 2013 was little more than a novelty concept, the new Family Hub refrigerator, unveiled today at CES, is a much stronger attempt to reboot the kitchen appliance.
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The Samsung Smart Control aims to eliminate the need for multiple remote controls, acting as a “single control unit for almost all devices connected to a Samsung Smart TV”.
One fridge activity that makes a ton of sense is grocery shopping, which Samsung’s Family Hub makes possible with an app from MasterCard called, appropriately, Groceries by MasterCard.
You can then access the images and take a peek inside your fridge anytime and anywhere using your smartphone.
Several organizations involved in the mobile commerce space have begun showing off their new projects at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.
You could do all of this on your phone or laptop, of course, but if you want to realise your dreams of living in a futuristic techno-dystopia, the Family Hub fridge could be for you. The app also allows users to scan product bar codes for easy ordering. The 21.5-inch screen can be used to watch TV by mirroring with a Samsung Smart TV.
Samsung partnered with MasterCard to form the payment and delivery link with the grocery stores.
Customers who buy an Internet of Things (IoT) TV from Samsung will be able to use their set as the controller for the smart home. Consumers can now switch seamlessly between linear content, OTT content as well as other connected devices, and this includes video game consoles or Blu-ray players.
The fridge is part of Samsung’s strategy to deliver so-called “life hacks” – mundane tasks that can be made more efficient through technology. For now though, the service is only available in the U.S. in NY and the Northeast.
‘In the past if you wanted to control your lighting, you’d need a C-Bus program and to spend thousands of dollars wiring it up, ‘ Newton said.
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We don’t have much info on what the new fridge will be capable of.
