For many people, the fridge has become a guessing game. More than half of Brits (56%) admit they’re unsure where different vegetables should be stored, and that uncertainty is coming at a cost. With over two thirds (68%) regularly throwing away produce that has spoiled prematurely, and only a third (33%) feeling they’re storing food correctly, it’s clear the nation is muddling through rather than feeling in control.

And the problem isn’t just down to habits. Sebastian Goff, Brand Marketing Lead at Samsung UK says: “Fridges that don’t maintain a consistent temperature throughout form part of the problem, leaving items at the back prone to freezing while others sit too warm. This inconsistency accelerates spoilage.”

As a result, people feel forced to eat food that’s not fully fresh to avoid waste, with 70% admitting they’ll “give it a go” even when vegetables show signs of going off

To help households achieve the stable environment fresh food needs, Samsung’s Twin Cooling Plus technology uses two separate air flows and precise temperature control to maintain optimal humidity levels in the fridge. This stops vegetables from drying out, prevents odours mixing, and keeps produce fresher for longer – helping to reduce the very waste so many households are struggling with.

And that confusion isn’t just costing money – it’s sparking conflict at home. A striking 71% of Brits say they have argued with someone over correct storage.

Carrots have emerged as the most divisive item in the storage debate, splitting the nation perfectly down the middle with 50% insisting they belong in the fridge and 50% arguing for the cupboard. Other everyday staples also spark strong disagreement, with several foods showing similarly dramatic fridge versus-cupboard divides:

“As households begin planning their festive meals and the shopping for them, the debate over where to store vegetables feels particularly timely,” continues Sebastian. “Proper storage can extend the life of vegetables by up to 50%^[1], but most people don’t know how to get it right, ending up wasting an equivalent of 37kg^[2] of potatoes every year – that’s over 200 portions^[3].”

The research also reveals that many people aren’t using their fridges to their full potential. Over one in four (26%) never adjust their fridge temperature at all, and almost half (42%) don’t use any of the specific settings designed to keep different items fresher for longer.

It’s no wonder 62% of Brits say they’d like a fridge that automatically tells them where to store their food. Confusion over the right way to store food is having a real impact on what ends up in the bin – often long before food should spoil. Everyday staples are taking the biggest hit, with vegetables like salad leaves, carrots and cucumbers forming the top three items most likely to be wasted.

THE UK’S TOP 10 MOST WASTED FOODS:

1. Lettuce / salad leaves
2. Carrots
3. Cucumbers
4. Tomatoes
5. Broccoli
6. Potatoes
7. Onions
8. Avocados
9. Peppers
10. Spinach

To help households reduce waste and minimise the cost of spoiled food, Samsung is highlighting the science behind food freshness.

Sebastian adds: “We want to help consumers take the guesswork out of refrigeration, so they can feel confident they’ve got the perfect environment for storing fresh food. Incorrect moisture levels are often the reason vegetables spoil prematurely, which is where features like Humidity Fresh+ can help. It automatically adjusts the moisture in the fridge by opening or closing a vent, keeping humidity at optimal levels for fresh produce, meaning families can save money, reduce waste and feel more confident in their kitchens.”

Formula for fresher food, for longer

1. Know your zones:
   Different areas of the fridge naturally run at different temperatures. The top and middle shelves are best for everyday items like cooked food, dairy and drinks, while the bottom shelf is the coldest, making it ideal for raw meat and fish. The door is the warmest spot, suited to condiments rather than fresh produce.

1. Humidity control matters:
   Green vegetables last longer in higher humidity, whilst root vegetables prefer dryer conditions. Keeping them in the crisper drawer helps maintain the right moisture levels – closing the vent for leafy greens and opening it slightly for produce that prefers drier conditions. Samsung’s Humidity Fresh+ drawer, available in all classic fridge and freezers, adjusts this automatically, removing the guesswork.

1. Don’t overpack:
   A fridge needs space for cool air to circulate. When it’s too full, warm patches develop and food spoils faster. Aim to keep your fridge no more than two-thirds full to maintain consistent cooling throughout.

1. Let technology guide you:
   Smart features can offer reminders, show the ideal place to store different foods and help maintain optimal temperatures. Samsung’s connected fridge technology is designed to make storage simpler, reduce waste and extend the life of fresh ingredients.

* £88 = average amount that is self-reported to be wasted on thrown away vegetables per household, per year based on research question asked ‘Approximately how much would you estimate you throw away in spoiled vegetables each month?’

[1] Modelling the impact of shelf‑life extension on fresh produce waste in UK homes, March 2025: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772912525000089?via%3Dihub

[2] £88 (Average amount that is self-reported to be wasted on thrown away vegetables per household, per year) / £2.32 (average UK retail cost of potatoes per kg) equals ~38kg (37.93) kg of potatoes per household. https://www.soilassociation.org/farmers-growers/market-information/price-data/horticultural-produce-price-data/

[3] Based on 37kgs of potatoes, one side portion is 150 g (0.15 kg):   n = 37/0.15 ≈ 246 portions

“By offering a wide array of refrigerator options across type and also screen sizes, we are expanding choices to meet diverse household requirements,” says Jeong Seung Moon, EVP and Head of the R&D Team for Digital Appliances Business at Samsung Electronics. “Consumers can enjoy greater flexibility in choosing fridge designs while benefiting from the AI-powered smart home experience Samsung provides.”

A Smarter Way To Manage Food, Home, Family Communication and Entertainment

Samsung’s new refrigerators incorporate the intuitive 9” AI Home screen and 21.5” Family Hub screens, which are designed to enhance four key areas of daily life: Food, Home, Family Communication and Entertainment. The first category, food, is powered by the upgraded AI Vision Inside, which adds four more food items to the list it can recognise, now totaling 37. Based on the improved food list, the screen will provide tailored recipe recommendations and meal planning^[3] ,making home cooking more seamless and personalised.

Beyond food, the screens also enhance smart home connectivity. The latest advancements provide deeper integration into the smart home ecosystem, making the refrigerator a central hub capable of controlling connected appliances throughout the entire home. With the integration of Map View, users can monitor and control Samsung appliances and even third-party smart home devices^[4] like lights and smart plugs. There’s also SmartThings Energy ^[5], which helps users track and optimise their energy consumption, facilitating greater efficiency in everyday life. The intuitive display provides users with access to a great deal of information about their home, with users also being able to issue voice commands through Bixby ^[6]

The new Daily Board feature keeps everyone informed and connected. Placed at the heart of the home, the refrigerator screen delivers real-time updates throughout the day — whether it’s the morning weather and schedule before heading to work, or daily energy consumption reports in the evening. Users can also easily access their schedules through voice commands and receive tailored responses. By recognising each family member’s voice and replying accordingly, Bixby will serve as both a helpful assistant for the entire household and for each person individually. Additional family-focused features include a shared gallery for storing precious memories and a calendar to help with daily planning.

Samsung’s latest refrigerators also redefine entertainment in the kitchen, allowing users to stay engaged while cooking or spending time with family. With Spotify integration, users can listen to their favorite music or podcasts directly from their fridge ^[7]. SmartView Mirroring enables seamless screen sharing from smartphones or Samsung TVs, and the dedicated gallery feature lets families display their favourite photos, adding a personal touch to the kitchen.

The Next Generation of Refrigeration

The 4-Door Refrigerator is designed to meet the needs of modern households with its innovative features. The 9” AI Home applied on select models allows the refrigerator to integrate seamlessly with the smart home ecosystem. Models that incorporate Hybrid Cooling technology ^[8] keep produce fresh even longer by utilising a peltier module that is compact in size for cooling. By utilising the conventional compressor and the Peltier module together, AI Hybrid Cooling is capable of providing additional cooling whenever necessary, such as when the internal temperature increases or when AI predicts a potential rise based on learned usage patterns ^[9]. When users put in a large amount of groceries after shopping, or open the door multiple times in the summer, the Peltier module will assist the compressor to maintain a consistent internal temperature.

The 4-Door Refrigerator also comes in Kitchen Fit design, allowing agile installation that requires only a tiny gap of just 4mm from the sides and 20mm from the top. Also, the refrigerator’s doors have been enhanced with SpaceMax insulation technology. Thin walls mean more space for food storage on the inside, while the outside size stays the same. Users can also enjoy convenience with the wide opening door that opens more than 90 degrees, and the food showcase to store frequently used items.

The 4-Door French Door Refrigerator (RF90), launching in the UK in June, is available in various configurations, including a 32” Family Hub and a 9” AI Home. This flexibility allows users to choose the best fit for their kitchen. The Auto Open Door ^[10] feature ensures hassle-free accessibility with just a gentle tap, making it accessible to everyone in all kinds of situations to effortlessly access the inside of the fridge. It also has a Beverage Center that includes a water dispenser and a 1.4L Auto-Fill Water Pitcher that is dishwasher safe ^[11] and BPA free ^[12]. Apart from ensuring that fresh, filtered water is always available, the pitcher also allows users to infuse their water with fruits and herbs,

The Side-by-Side Refrigerator also offers multiple screen options, including the 21.5” Family Hub and 9” AI Home ^[13]. The model, featuring an Auto Open Door that opens up widely makes it simpler to reach stored items ^[14], is designed for users who prioritise easy access and organisation. Select European models are equipped with Hybrid Cooling technology — as seen in the 4-Door refrigerator — to maintain freshness by preventing temperature fluctuations.

All three types of refrigerators come with the AI Energy Mode feature, allowing users to reduce energy consumption by up to an additional 10% ^[15]. Users can choose to activate the mode always, or when electricity bills are expected to exceed the preset target.

With these latest innovative solutions, Samsung continues to push the boundaries of the connected kitchen, transforming the refrigerator into an intelligent hub that enhances food management, smart home integration and entertainment. By seamlessly blending AI-enabled convenience with energy efficiency, Samsung is redefining how users interact with their appliances and bringing the future of the smart home to life.

Pricing and availability

[1] A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required to access AI Home, our network-based service, including apps, and other smart features available through your refrigerator.

[2] As of March 2025, AI Vision Inside can recognize 37 food items. If the food is not recognisable, it may be listed as unknown item. AI Vision Inside cannot identify or list any food items in the fridge door bins or freezer. It recognises food items based on deep learning models, which may be updated periodically to improve accuracy.

[3] Requires login to the Samsung account. The recommendations and meal plans may not fit personal preferences in some cases.

[4]A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required. Third-party devices must by SmartThings compatible

[5] Available on Android and iOS devices. All devices should be connected to Wi-Fi or other wireless network, and registered with a single Samsung Account. The energy usage and estimated cost shown in SmartThings Energy may differ from your actual usage and cost. Availability may vary by country, region, service provider, network environment, or device, and may change without notice.

[6] Bixby is Samsung’s brand of Internet of Things (IoT) voice assistant. Its service availability may vary depending on the country, language, and dialect.

[7]Requires Spotify account

[8] Available on select models of the 4-Door refrigerator in 2025.

[9] The Peltier element is a semiconductor-based component that cools using just electricity, without refrigerant. It operates when either the temperature in the refrigerator rises above the normal range or AI predicts that the temperature will rise in 5 minutes due to a long period of food storage or cleaning, based on an analysis of the user’s refrigerator opening and closing pattern.

[10] An automatic closing function is not available. The actual angle that the doors open may vary due to the installation circumstances and usage conditions, like storing heavy items in the door. The user may need to adjust how the refrigerator is installed if the doors don’t open properly. The touch sensors can be turned on/off from the display or SmartThings app and the default setting is ‘Off’. The Auto Open Door function may be activated inadvertently by contact with any body part or by a child or pet.

[11]Tested for 125 cycles in accordance with the “Mechanical dishwashing resistance of utensils” test method (BS EN 12875-1:2005) and certified as dishwasher safe by SGS

[12] Bisphenol A (BPA) is found in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, which are often used in food and beverage containers, and has been linked with possible adverse health effects.

[13] Available in Europe, Southeast Asia, China, the Middle East, Africa and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)

[14]You can select the door opening level using the SmartThings App (SmartThings is available on Android and iOS devices. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required). The ‘Wide-open’ option automatically opens the door by an angle of 80 degrees or more, but the door does not close automatically. The ‘Semi-open’ option reduces the force required to open the door, and automatically closes the door after a certain period of time if the door is left open. The actual angle that the doors open may vary due to the installation circumstances and usage conditions, like storing heavy items in the door.

[15]The test results are based on a comparison of the factory setting temperature when using AI Energy mode and without using AI Energy mode. Results may vary depending on the usage conditions and patterns. AI Energy Mode can be activated in SmartThings Energy, which is available on Android and iOS devices. SmartThings Energy requires Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account.

“After years of R&D with a relentless focus on the home user experience, we are thrilled to be rolling out more Smart Forward updates to our earlier released appliances around the globe,” said Miyoung Yoo, EVP and Head of the Software Development Team, Digital Appliances Business at Samsung Electronics. “With the enhanced functionality, extended lifespan and improved security provided by Smart Forward, the home experience can truly take a step forward.”

Reference Image: Samsung Digital Appliances connecting to download updates^[3]

New Functionalities Alter Kitchen Experiences

The Smart Forward updates introduce an array of new functionalities designed to enhance the user experience and appliance performance. The Family Hub, a touchscreen panel installed on the 4-Door French Door Refrigerator^[4] for food management, entertainment and communication, will now come with Quick Share, Buds Auto Switch ^[5] and Fridge Call, new features that significantly improve connectivity and usability.^[6]

Quick Share makes sharing memories and recipes while in the kitchen easier than ever by allowing users to quickly send photos to the Family Hub screen directly from their mobile device^[7] with just a few clicks. When users have their Galaxy Buds connected to the Family Hub to listen to music or watch cooking tutorial videos, the Buds Auto Switch feature allows users to seamlessly switch to their mobile device to answer incoming calls and back when the call is finished, enabling a cooking experience free from interruptions.

Finally, users can receive phone calls with Fridge Call directly on the Family Hub using its microphone and speaker, eliminating the need to move to a different room to find their phone. This is especially convenient when users’ hands are occupied to cooking, cleaning and dishwashing, making it much easier to multitask while remaining connected. Perhaps best of all, these new features will be available on refrigerator models with Family Hub produced from 2017 onward rather than new models only.

Quick Remote,^[8] an additional feature in which a user’s mobile phone becomes a remote control for connected Samsung appliances, is being expanded across refrigerators produced since 2023, regardless of whether they include a Family Hub screen or not.^[9] Other connected appliances include washing machines and air conditioners also produced since 2023.^[10] All users need to do is simply move close to a SmartThings-connected appliance,^[11] and a remote control menu for the appliance will appear on the quick panel of the Galaxy phone screen being used. This seamless integration ensures that users can control their home environment with ease.

Future-proofing Home Appliances to the Next Level

Apart from making the user experience more seamless, Samsung is also focused on future-proofing existing appliances. The upgraded Bixby^[12] will understand commands with multiple intentions and remember the most recent conversation.^[13] This advanced functionality transforms the way users interact with their appliances, making voice commands more intuitive and responsive.^[14] Samsung UK is providing the update to three products launched in 2024 first: the Bespoke 4-Door Refrigerator with AI Family Hub; Bespoke AI Laundry Combo; and Bespoke Jet Bot Combo AI.

Safer Use and Lower Energy Consumption

In terms of safety and energy-savings, Samsung is rolling out updates to older models — including refrigerators made as far back as 2021 — because the importance of safety does not diminish with time.^[15]  After an event of a power outage and once resumed with power, refrigerators will detect and notify users via the SmartThings app when internal temperature is high, providing an extra layer of food safety by making users aware of potential issues that could affect the freshness of their stored food.

Additionally, users can now choose different chimes for open door notifications, giving them greater control over their appliance settings. Furthermore, users can maintain a peaceful home environment by putting ice makers in sleep mode, preventing them from working during the night and creating the disruptive sound of ice falling into the tray while users sleep.

Optimal Scheduling, which delays the start of appliances to not have them run during peak energy usage hours or periods of high carbon intensity, will also be added to the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo^[16] and Samsung Dishwashers.^[17] This feature can help users cut down on energy cost. Additionally, the 7-inch AI Home on the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo now automatically switches to power-save mode during wash cycles, further contributing to smart energy savings.^[18]

These updates reflect Samsung’s broader strategy of providing value to customers by enhancing the products they already own. By continuously improving the functionality and performance of its appliances, Samsung ensures that users do not have to worry about their devices becoming obsolete. This approach not only safeguards customers’ investments but also aligns with the company’s efforts to reduce the need for frequent replacements.

Samsung’s updated home appliances will be showcased at IFA 2024 in Berlin, Germany, from September 6 to 10, where visitors will be able to see and experience each feature.

[1] The following updates will be alerted to the user via SmartThings app push notification when available. On the SmartThings app, users can check the product and features that are ready to be updated and monitor the update progress.

[2]  Updates will be available throughout 2024. Actual update schedule may differ according to product, model type, and region.

[3] Image is created to visually help understand the process of updating appliances through Wi-Fi Connection. Screens on the appliances does not appear as in the image during updates.

[4] This is the global name, and naming may differ by region. For example, 2024 Bespoke refrigerator with the 32-inch Family Hub screen is named Bespoke 4-Door Flex Refrigerator with AI Family Hub+ in North America and Bespoke 4-Door French Door Refrigerator with AI Family Hub+ in Latin America.

[5] Quick Share and Buds Auto Switch are available with Galaxy mobile phones only.

[6] Quick Share, Buds Auto Switch, and Fridge Call update are currently available on refrigerators with Family Hub in North and South America and will be available sequentially in Europe, East Asia and Southeast Asia throughout 2024. Actual update schedule may differ according to product and region.

[7] The SmartThings app is available on Android and iOS devices. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required. Users are required to utilize a single log-in account between the devices

[8] Quick Remote feature is available in Galaxy mobile phones with Android 1.8.21 or above, and the SmartThings app must be installed. A Wi-Fi connection and Samsung account are required. Users are required to utilize a single log-in account between the devices.

[9] Will be available globally on select refrigerators, washing machines and dryers produced since 2023, starting in October and sequentially throughout the rest of 2024. Actual update schedule may differ according to product and region.

[10] Feature will be available on select Freestanding Air Conditioners (FAC), Wall Air Conditioners (WAC) and dehumidifier models produced since 2023 and select Residential Air Conditioner (RAC) models produced in 2024.

[11] Connected Galaxy mobile phone must be within 10 meters of the appliance. Quick Remote may not work properly, if objects come between the mobile phone and the appliance.

[12] Bixby is Samsung’s brand of Internet of Things (IoT) voice assistant. Bixby service availability may vary depending on the country. Bixby recognizes certain accents/dialects of English (US, UK, Indian), Chinese, Korean, French, German, Italian, Spanish (Spain, Latin America) and Portuguese (Brazil). The user interface may change and differ by device. The availability of Bixby features and content providers may vary depending on the country/carrier/language/device model/OS version. A Samsung account log-in and data network connection (Wi-Fi or data network) are required.

[13] Multi-Intent and Multi-Turn are supported in the following languages: English (US, UK, India), Korean, Spanish (Latin America, Europe), French, German, Italian and Portuguese (Brazil). Device Q&A is currently available for English (US) and Korean. The following scenario is based on English (US) and may vary depending on user language settings.

[14] In order to control other devices, all devices must be connected to SmartThings under the same Samsung account. Control is limited to connected devices’ original features and voice control activated features may be limited, depending on the type of the product and the model that execute the commands.

[15] Update will be available globally on select refrigerator models produced since 2021, starting in October.

[16] Update will be available globally, starting in October.

[17] Update will be available for DW7700B dishwashers sold in Europe only, starting in August.

[18] Update will be available on Bespoke AI Laundry Combo in 2024 Q4.

“As people look to get more out of their food — with help from their appliances — we’re thrilled to be upgrading Samsung Food with different types of powerful new functionality,” said Moohyung Lee, EVP and Head of Customer Experience Team for Digital Appliances Business at Samsung Electronics. “Moving forward, with a key focus on user experiences, we will continually enhance the platform with AI and other technologies to support the preparation of meals that are easier, simpler and healthier.”

Photo Image of Samsung Food

Samsung Food is a holistic food platform available on various Samsung devices, including and beyond home appliances. Samsung Food+, the premium subscription service^[3] of Samsung Food, elevates the experience by integrating a health profile and goals, providing personalised meal plans with recipe recommendations. And now, AI is being added to bring differentiated functionality to users around the globe.

Samsung is making food preparation more convenient by rolling out the Vision AI technology for Samsung Food+, which allows users to add items to their Food List by simply snapping a photo of their food items with a smartphone. This functionality means that users owning Bespoke refrigerators with a Family Hub screen^[4] without AI Vision Inside — the internal camera that recognises food items that goes in and out of the fridge — can now also easily add items with photos to their Food List.

Other benefits of the Samsung Food+ subscription service include automatically adding purchased ingredients to the Food List when users check out at the store or online, and searching for recipes based on the contents of the Food List. Users can also get alerts to help them use the items before the manually set use-by-date, helping reduce food waste.

Samsung Food+ further provides the meal plans based on users’ Food List to support sustainable food practice goals by personalising each plan based on the ingredients in users’ Food Lists, prioritising those nearing use-by-date. And with the new “Search with Your Food List” feature, recipes using the ingredients listed in their Food Lists will show on top of the search results to help users with ideas on what can be made with what they have. Recipe recommendations are also provided based on the Food List, and whatever has been used from the Food List is recommended to be added to the Shopping List. This intelligent approach helps inventory maintenance and to reduce food waste while ensuring fresh, tasty meals.

Reach Health Goals With Personalised Meal Plans

Samsung Food now features enhanced tools designed to support users to better maintain their health and to reach wellness goals. The platform provides nutrition-focused meal plans that track and monitor caloric intake within daily meal schedules, whether for recipes or individual food items. It offers “Tailored for You” plans^[5], delivering weekly recipe and snack recommendations based on users’ nutritional needs^[6], chosen diets and previous recipe preferences. The system tracks macronutrient intake within daily meal plans and allows customisable calorie and macronutrient targets for individual health objectives. While Samsung Food users receive three days of recommendations per week, paid and subscribed Samsung Food+ users benefit from a full week of recommendations, with the intelligent platform also factoring in the manually set use-by-dates of ingredients.

Reference Image of Samsung Food’s “Tailored for You” Meal Plan Service

Now available in eight languages across 104 countries,^[7] Samsung Food will ensure that all updates are accessible in each of the eight languages and region of availability.

[1] Samsung Food is a mobile application that is downloadable on any smartphone platform. Samsung account log-in is required.

[2] As of July 2024.

[3] £6.99 per month or £58.99 per year

[4] All models of Bespoke Family Hub refrigerators support Samsung Food service with Wi-Fi connection and Samsung account connection.

[5] This feature is provided based on the users’ personal details, profile information, information that the users voluntarily provide about their food, dietary and nutritional preferences, health data and more. Full list of collected information and usage can be found at Privacy Policy (UK) – Samsung Food

[6] Nutrition goals are set and recommended based on research and studies done by various organisations such as The World Health Organisation (WHO), The 2020-2025 American Dietary Guidelines, The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Master of Science qualified Registered Nutritionist-Dietitian (RND).

[7] The Samsung Food app supports English (U.S.), English (U.K.), German, Spanish (Spain), Spanish (Mexico), French, Italian and Korean. Supporting languages may be added at a later date.

Following on from the initial agreement that began at the beginning of 2023, Sunday Brunch and Samsung will renew their deal for another year as of March 17 as brokered by media agency, Starcom.

This renewed collaboration means Samsung will continue to build awareness around its Bespoke Home appliance range through product placement and sponsorship idents throughout the programming that highlight its core technologies and home appliance features. The Sunday Brunch kitchen will continue to amplify key products including the Family Hub fridge freezer and Series 7 AI ovens and this year will also include the Samsung Frame TV, among various other products.

In addition, Samsung will sponsor a new recipe licence with Sunday Brunch co-host and cooking expert Simon Rimmer as well as being available on Samsung UK’s social channels. 

Rupinder Downie, sponsorship and commercial partnerships leader, Channel 4 said: “Having collaborated with Samsung for the past year on Sunday Brunch, we are looking forward to strengthening our partnership with more premium products featured in editorial. Our track record shows that product placement can dramatically shift TV viewers perception of a brand, that it opens up new revenues for our production partners, and, that it is appreciated by Channel 4’s savvy viewers by enhancing the credibility of TV content.”

Gino Grossi, Head of Brand Marketing for Home Appliances, Samsung Electronics UK, said: “We’re excited to be continuing our partnership with Sunday Brunch, which will again provide Samsung with a strong platform to reach consumers. It provides us with a regular opportunity to showcase our premium Bespoke appliance range to a large audience every week.

“Since the partnership started we have witnessed strong engagement and interest in our products in the Sunday Brunch kitchen through Simon, Tim and guests, complimented by our sponsorship idents that highlight key product features.”

About Channel 4

Channel 4 exists to create change through entertainment. Publicly owned yet commercially funded, Channel 4 generates significant and sustainable cultural, economic and social impact across the UK – at no cost to the taxpayer.

The broadcaster’s distinctive remit is set by Parliament, and it has a role to represent unheard voices, challenge with purpose and reinvent entertainment. For over 40 years, it has been a British success story, engaging generation after generation of young people.

Through a unique publisher-broadcaster model, Channel 4 commissions its content from the UK independent production sector. Working with around 300 creative companies every year, Channel 4 makes a major contribution to the local, regional and national economy, creating and supporting thousands of jobs and businesses across the country.

In 2020, Channel 4 launched its Future4 strategy to become a digital-first public service media company and to continue to deliver significant impact for UK audiences and investment into the UK creative economy.

Across its bases in London, Leeds, Manchester, Bristol and Glasgow, Channel 4 is turbocharging its efforts to find, nurture and develop talent across the UK. Through its training and development initiative 4Skills, Channel 4 is opening up opportunities in broadcasting, with a particular focus on disadvantaged young people, and addressing skills gaps across the Nations and Regions.

Channel 4 has the UK’s biggest free streaming service plus 11 television channels including: Channel 4, E4, E4 Extra, More4, Film4, 4Seven and The Box Plus Network. Through Film4 Productions, Channel 4 also invests in British filmmakers to huge critical acclaim, producing 37 Oscar wins and 88 BAFTA wins in its history.

https://www.channel4.com/

“Bespoke Life embodies Samsung’s commitment to making our homes and future more sustainable by reimagining the appliances we rely on every day,” said Jong-Hee (JH) Han, Vice Chairman, CEO and Head of the DX (Device eXperience) Division at Samsung Electronics. “By introducing new and creative ways for users to ‘Bespoke’ their life, our latest products and solutions empower anyone to take steps towards enjoying a more sustainable, connected, and stylish lifestyle.”

Sustainable Life – Technologies That Make a Positive Impact

Samsung’s Bespoke Life concept was born out of the belief that home appliances are key to creating a more sustainable tomorrow. Accordingly, this year’s Bespoke event will highlight Samsung’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions across the entire product lifecycle. It will also announce the launch of the new Less Microfiber Filter: a simple solution for minimising micro plastic emissions during laundry cycles.

From sourcing and production to distribution, usage, and recycling, Samsung is redesigning each stage of the product lifecycle to help reduce energy usage and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Examples of the company’s efforts to recycle more resources include operating a closed-loop recycling center, incorporating bioplastic material from waste oil into Bespoke refrigerators’ storage baskets, and expanding its use of recycled fishing nets. Once products have been manufactured, they are shipped to users in Samsung’s eco-packaging, which began replacing plastic tape and coil with paper earlier this year.

Samsung continues to expand services that make saving energy effortless. Which is why, this year, five new Bespoke appliances, including refrigerators, washers and dryers, dishwashers, and air conditioners, as well as Samsung’s Eco Heating System, will feature an upgraded version of SmartThings AI Energy Mode that will soon be available in 65 countries^[1]

In addition to promoting reductions in carbon emissions and energy usage, Samsung continues to take an active role in tackling microplastic pollution. After developing a laundry cycle that reduces microfiber discharge by up to 54%^[2], Samsung and Patagonia have teamed up once again to launch the Less Microfiber Filter. The Less Microfiber Filter is capable of capturing up to 98%^[3] of microfibers shed during laundry cycles. When used to wash two kilograms of laundry four times a week, the filter can help reduce up to 132 grams of microplastic discharge per person per year — an amount equivalent to approximately eight 500ml plastic bottles. The Less Microfiber Filter is now available in Korea and the U.K., and will roll out to other countries in Q3 of this year.

Connected Life – Paving the Way for Hyper-Connected Homes

To “Bespoke” one’s life is to optimise devices in ways that streamline and empower your routine. By strengthening connectivity across the lineup and expanding AI to more product categories, Samsung is paving the way for a new era of hyper-connected homes.

Combining Samsung’s latest SmartThings enhancements and AI technology, Bespoke products offer a seamlessly automated home experience — one in which devices learn users’ usage patterns and provide personalised automation based on their smart home configuration and lifestyle. To make it easy for consumers to enjoy those experiences, Samsung has announced that it is integrating Wi-Fi support into all new Bespoke appliances and will make connectivity a standard in all Samsung appliance lineups in the coming years.

Samsung has also announced the launch of the Bespoke Jet AI — the company’s most powerful^[4] cordless stick vacuum cleaner, and the world’s first to be verified by UL(Underwriters Laboratories) Solutions, a leading independent safety science organisation, for AI. Combining up to 280W^[5] of suction power with a run time of up to 100 minutes^[6] per charge, the Bespoke Jet AI offers the performance required to give one’s entire home a thorough clean. Its AI Cleaning Mode^[7] intelligently monitors brush load and vacuuming air pressure to distinguish different cleaning environments,^[8] including the floor type, and automatically optimises settings such as suction power and brush speed^[9] to maximise cleaning performance, usage time, and maneuverability. The vacuum also features a new All-in-One Clean Station that produces a powerful spinning cyclone to instantly and effectively^[10] empty the dustbin.

Stylish Life – Taking Personalised Design to the Next Level  

The three million Bespoke refrigerators that have been sold worldwide since the lineup’s launch underline consumers’ resounding interest in appliances that offer more options and functionality than the old standards. Today, this rethinking of what appliances should offer users continues to define Bespoke design — a design approach that grows more dynamic and distinct each time it expands to a new product category.

In addition to launching the Bespoke AI^TM Washer and Dryer in the U.S. and Southeast Asia this year, Samsung continues to expand its personalisation options to empower more people to customise their home. Currently available to all consumers in the U.S. since last year, Samsung’s MyBespoke customisation service makes it easy for users to cultivate a kitchen look that truly reflects your way of life by using photos or artwork to create one-of-a-kind refrigerator panels. To further elevate Bespoke’s bold design ethos, the company has announced that the limited-edition Bespoke panels designed by Italian creative studio TOILETPAPER and first unveiled at Fuorisalone 2023 are now available for purchase on Samsung.com and can also be found at Samsung flagship stores in the U.K., U.S., and Korea.

To learn more about the next evolution of Bespoke, tune into Bespoke Life 2023 on June 7 at 10:00 EDT (16:00 CEST, 23:00 KST). The event will be streamed on Samsung’s global YouTube channel, Samsung Newsroom, and  Samsung.com.

[1] AI Energy Mode is currently available in 40 countries including the U.S. AI Energy Mode is planned for expansion in the following countries in June: Greece, South Africa, Dominican Republic, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Argentina, Ireland, Estonia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Puerto Rico, Finland. Further expansion is planned for the following countries in September: Morocco, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Jordan, Iraq, Israel, Egypt, Kuwait, Turkey, Tunisia.

[2] Tested with 2kg load of 100% polyester hoodies, comparing Synthetics cycle on Samsung Conventional model WW4000T and the Less Microfiber cycle on WW9400B. The results may be different depending on the clothes and environment. Tested by the Ocean Wise Plastics Lab.

[3] Tested at Ocean Wise Plastics Lab on the WW90T734DWH model (using Synthetic cycle, approximately 2kg load of synthetic textile laundry) comparing the amount of microfiber released with and without the Less Microfiber Filter installed. The amount is calculated by filtering drain water through a 50um filter. Results may vary depending on clothes and environment.

[4] PBased on testing by the Korea Testing Laboratory, in accordance with the IEC62885-4: 2020 standard, using a handheld type vacuum cleaner (with no brush) in Jet mode. The results were compared to the stated suction power of cordless stick vacuum cleaners with 200W suction power available in the market (based on sales data between January and December 2022, as compiled by an independent market research institute).

[5] Based on testing by the Korea Testing Laboratory, in accordance with the IEC62885-4: 2020 standard. Measured at the inlet of the non-motorised tool when the dustbin is empty, using Jet Mode and a large capacity battery that is fully charged. The results were compared to the stated suction power of cordless stick vacuum cleaners with 200W suction power available in the market (based on sales data between January and December 2022, as compiled by an independent market research institute). Results may vary depending on actual usage.

[6] The stated run time is based on using a large capacity battery at the minimum power level with a non-motorised tool attached. Results may vary depending on actual usage.

[7] AI Cleaning mode related functions/performance will be continuously updated and upgraded through SmartThings.

[8] The ability to identify different cleaning environments can be affected by environmental conditions.

[9] The brush rotation speed (rpm) can only be adjusted when using the Active Dual Brush.

[10] Based on internal testing using various types of dusts. Results may vary depending on the actual usage conditions.

LONDON, UK  – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd announced a new study, revealing that nearly a third of the UK waste food every week. This rises to more than half (52%) when it comes to Gen Z and millennials, identified as the most wasteful generations for not using up what’s in the fridge.

Nearly half of young adults admit to binning up to eight items every week, contributing to the growing volume of abandoned household foods. Many young adults prefer ordering takeaways (55%) or going out to eat (40%), even when there’s already something at home. Others will buy multiple ingredients for a specific dish only for them to be leftover (34%).

Almost 40 percent said they don’t realise the quantity they are cooking until it is too late, however for 31 percent, the problem starts at the shop where they don’t notice how much they’ve bought.  Around a quarter of young adults enjoy hosting home gatherings, but always have the nibbles lingering post party.

Despite having the most surplus fridge items, a quarter (25%) of young adults feel guilty for wasting anything at all. In fact, they are most eager to turn things around, with over 20 percent wanting more low waste meal inspiration and a quarter (24%) wishing they knew how to preserve foods for longer.

This comes as Samsung UK teams up with TikTok Chef, Nigel Kabvina (@sxmplyni), for Zero Waste Week (5^th – 9^th Sept), to empower young people to keep their foods fresh and make sure no items go unused.

The UK’s top 10 most abandoned household foods:

1. Salad
2. Bread
3. Bananas
4. Potatoes
5. Cooked leftovers
6. Carrots
7. Milk
8. Tomatoes
9. Berries (raspberry, blueberries, and strawberries)
10. Eggs

Nigel Kabvina, TikTok Chef, said: “It’s difficult to make the most of everything in the fridge before it goes off. Be it a blackening banana or wrinkly sweet potato, you would be surprised at how creative you can get with the foods you often find lingering at the end of the week. I’m excited to bring people on my Zero Waste journey with Samsung UK.”

Young adults will spend almost double the national average on wasted food, with £516 a year going to waste, compared to older generations who waste £156 on average. A third of Gen Z (34%) would also like to get more savvy with what’s left in their fridge to see how this can reduce their bill.

In fact, over half of Brits (56%) admitted they are more likely to try and keep the food in the fridge as long as possible, since the rise of inflation.

Nigel’s top ‘abandoned food’ hacks

• FRIDGE SHUI

Rearranging your fridge to put fruit and veg in direct sight line encourages you to eat it and regularly use it in cooking. Swap them over to the sauce and small jar shelf which you rarely use, as those products can last months. Also, if you have the Samsung Family Hub you can track expiration dates on items in and outside the refrigerator^[1], via the ‘View Inside’ feature.

• ‘FRESH’ HATES AIR

Purchasing some airtight containers or mason jars can really help keep your food stay fresher for longer, as most store-bought packaging won’t protect products from spoilage once opened. This will expand the life of your items and keep their taste in check.

• REGROW

If you have products like spring onion and baby lettuce about to expire, cut the bulb (bottom root) off and place in a small glass with some water. Replace the water every three days and within a week you will see a new fresh vegetable start to grow.

• PIF IT: PICKLE INFUSE FERMET

When you have certain fridge items about to go off, why not pickle it, ferment it or use it to infuse into some alcohol or brine. The acidity keeps it alive for longer and it steps up cooking by creating complex flavours. Try mushrooms infused with bourbon or strawberries pickled in distilled vinegar for a delicious addition to your salads.

Tanya Weller, Marketing Director of Home Appliances at Samsung UK&I, said: “The research shows a huge demand from young people on wanting to elevate their approach when it comes managing what’s in their fridge.  We’re excited to equip people with simple tools to lower their everyday food waste and show the role technology must play. For example, the Triple Cooling System built into our Family Hub^[2]range allows precise temperature and humidity controls in each zone of the fridge, to help your food stay fresher longer.”

Stay tuned for more of Nigel’s ‘abandoned food’ recipes and hacks on the Samsung KX website.

[1] View inside your fridge from anywhere* built-in cameras which let you control the contents of your fridge at home or on the go, including automatically tagging expiration dates

[2] The Family Hub keeps different foods fresh and tasty in the optimal conditions

• • The Cool Select+ is an independently controlled compartment with five pre-set modes: Freeze, Soft Freeze, Meat/Fish, Fruit/Veggies and Beverage

The service is a new addition to the SmartThings app^{[1] [2]} that provides centralised and integrated control over your Samsung appliances^[3]. Connecting the convenience of six SmartThings services (SmartThings Cooking, Energy, Clothing Care, Pet Care, Air Care and Home Care)^{[4] [5]}, SmartThings Home Life expands the quality of your life at home and puts you in control, all from your smartphone. In the SmartThings app, simply tap the “Life” tab to navigate to SmartThings Home to unlock a new level of home connectivity. With 270 global partners and the ability to integrate with thousands of devices, SmartThings is currently enjoyed by close to a quarter of a billion registered users^[6]. What’s more, Samsung’s updated Family Hub, available in July, further adds to an expansion of experience at home with its new AI features that add convenience to your daily routine.

“Our goal is to harness connectivity between smart devices to enrich and streamline everyday routines,” said Chanwoo Park, Executive Vice President and Head of IoT Business group of the Digital Appliances Business at Samsung Electronics. “The global launch of SmartThings Home Life will expand our services and empower users everywhere to focus less on their daily tasks and more on living in each moment.”

Delivering smart and more seamless experiences, SmartThings Home Life integrates the following six SmartThings services.^[7]

SmartThings Cooking

SmartThings Cooking^[8] is a cooking service that does it all, from finding recipes and auto-setting appliances to managing shopping lists and preserving food^[9]. Powered by Whisk’s Food AI, SmartThings Cooking recommends personalised recipes and meal plans based on users’ tastes, dietary needs and groceries on hand. Whether users are defrosting frozen meats with a barcode or shopping for groceries through the Whisk network^[10], SmartThings Cooking communicates directly with all of Samsung’s smart kitchen appliances^[11], like Family Hub, ranges, ovens, and cooktops for a seamless cooking experience.

SmartThings Energy

Supporting virtually all products^[12] throughout the kitchen, living and laundry areas, SmartThings Energy empowers users to take control of their energy consumption by providing real-time information on where and how energy is used within the home. By analysing the energy used by devices and appliances connected to the SmartThings platform, SmartThings Energy reports monthly power usage and predicts future power consumption using AI. Thanks to AI Saving mode^[13], SmartThings Energy will also automatically turn on the energy saving mode on connected home devices, helping to reduce energy bills and carbon footprint. The new Bespoke AI washer and dryer^[14] will soon be added to SmartThings Energy’s lineup of devices in the second half of this year, before expanding to even more connected devices around your home. Samsung’s Zero Energy Home pilot project, developed in collaboration with Q-CELLS to give homes the ability to be energy self-sufficient, is set to install the Zero Energy Home system in 30 homes of the ongoing Project Etopia in the near future. Moving forward, the program will expand to implement the system in even more households, combining the power of SmartThings Energy solutions with Q CELLS’ solar panel and energy storage systems.

SmartThings Clothing Care

SmartThings Clothing Care connects all your clothing care devices, such as the Bespoke dryer, Bespoke AirDresser, Bespoke ShoeDresser^[15], and all AI washers, to provide optimal clothing management with services tailored to your lifestyle. The service offers customised care options based on your garments’ material types. What’s more, SmartThings Clothing Care offers practical AI recommendations based on usage patterns and the current season and reminds you to purchase laundry supplies regularly to keep your clothing fresh and your laundry room stocked.^[16]

SmartThings Pet Care

Now, pet owners can rejoice that they can care for their furry friends, even when they’re not at home. When a pet is alone at home, SmartThings Pet Care will automatically play music or TV shows^[17], offering them a sense of security and companionship. You can even keep an eye on your pets^[18] remotely by accessing the smart camera of your Bespoke Jet Bot AI+. In addition, by adjusting the settings on appliances like lights, air conditioners, air purifiers and more, you can make your home more comfortable and safe for your pet while you’re away.

SmartThings Air Care

SmartThings Air Care^[19] keeps you up to date with important information about the air quality inside and outside your home. Now, you can enjoy air quality monitoring and purifying all in one place, as it provides centralised control of your Bespoke air conditioner, Bespoke air purifier^[20] and more^[21].You can breathe easy knowing that your air at home is fresh and clean with SmartThings Air Care.

SmartThings Home Care

SmartThings Home Care keeps tabs on all connected Samsung household devices, including Bespoke appliances, by checking their status and usage patterns, providing information about accessories and enabling convenient online purchases. This service sends notifications and guides users on regular maintenance based on the collected usage data, such as cleaning each device and replacing specific components. By letting SmartThings take care of your home, you can troubleshoot home appliance issues independently without relying on a repairman for simple tasks.

Family Hub

Since its launch in 2016, the Family Hub has been continually updated to offer the latest in connected experiences for Samsung refrigerator users, transforming refrigerators into communication and entertainment hubs for the kitchen. What’s more, the Family Hub also doubles as a home control for the SmartThings app. In its latest update launching in July, Family Hub’s new features offer even more entertainment, smart features, and connectivity to the kitchen. For instance, Smart Reorders^[22] helps consumers easily order and replace water filters. Users can stay entertained while they cook, as the Samsung TV Plus^[23] app lets users enjoy a variety of live TV programs, including news, music, kids and food channels. Atelier allows households to decorate their kitchens and refrigerator screens with stunning artwork, while Dual AI Voice Assistant enables consumers to access the features of Amazon’s Alexa^[24] and Samsung’s Bixby on a single device. Family Hub’s upgraded food recognition technology^[25] allows for better food and drink identification and management, and Smart Recipes empowers Bespoke users at home to create delicious meals with easy-to-follow instructions.

For more information about SmartThings Home Life in your country, please visit Samsung.com and Samsung Newsroom.

[1] The SmartThings app must be installed and connected to devices in order to utilize its features. Application requirements may differ depending on each device. Available for download from Google Play Store or App Store. The app is compatible on Android 8.0 (RAM 2GB or more) and higher/iOS 13.0 and higher

[2] Wi-Fi connection and Samsung account are required for proper use

[3] Supported SmartThings features and services may vary depending on the connected devices

[4] Services must be installed in the SmartThings app to be accessed

[5] Applicable models may vary by country

[6] Based on current figures as of June 2022

[7] Availability of the six services and contents of SmartThings Home Life may vary based on country and region

[8] This feature is only available for select models, which may vary by country. The ‘Cooking’ service must be pre-installed on your SmartThings app for this feature to be operational

[9] Recipes and services available for each region may vary

[10] Availability depends on country

[11] This feature can only be implemented in selected models

[12] Only applicable to products with Wi-Fi connectivity

[13] AI Saving Mode is available only for selected 2022 Washer models

[14] Bespoke washer and dryer equipped with AI Saving mode will launch in July for European markets

[15] ShoeDresser is currently available in Korea

[16] US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain: users can manage laundry supplies and make purchases through Alexa Smart Reorder. In other countries, users can manage laundry supplies with Clothing Care

[17] Requires a TV or music app pairing

[18] The object recognition feature only applies to pets. This feature can be impacted by the surrounding environment

[19] SmartThings Air Care is currently available in the US and Korea

[20] SmartThings Air Care is only available on Bespoke Air Conditioner in Korea and Bespoke Air Purifier in both US and Korea

[21] Supported products include the Air Conditioner, Air Purifier, Air Monitor, System Air Conditioner, and Smart Hood

[22] Smart Reorders is only available to Amazon Prime users living in US

[23] Samsung TV Plus is only available in Korea and US

[24] Amazon Alexa compatibility is currently available in the US and Canada since Q2 2022, and will launch in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and India in Q3 2022

[25] Upgraded food recognition technology is only available in Korea and US

CES 2022 offers visitors and online viewers an opportunity to see for themselves how Samsung has been innovating for the future. From displays and home appliances, to products and services that raise the bar for innovation, the company’s showcase at the world’s largest technology show offers a peek at what our daily lives will look like very soon.

Samsung’s CES 2022 booth is full of eye-catching innovations. But which products and technologies will viewers and visitors absolutely not want to miss? To answer that question, Samsung Newsroom went straight to the source, asking the experts behind the innovations which ones they think deserve a closer look.

In part one of this two-part series, Telly Lee, Vice President of Samsung’s Home Appliances Division and Jungrae Kim of Samsung Electronics’ Visual Display Business will explain how Samsung designed its latest home appliances and projector to cater to consumers’ evolving lifestyles.

The Bespoke Kitchen: Home Appliances That Evolve in Line With Users’ Changing Lives

▲Telly Lee, Vice President of Samsung’s Home Appliances Division and Head of the Kitchen Product Planning Group, with Samsung’s Bespoke French Door refrigerators

Q: What can you tell us about the home appliance products and technologies that are being showcased at CES 2022?

We are going to focus on introducing the Bespoke kitchen, in which refrigerators and colours are unified to great effect. The Bespoke kitchen begins with our flagship Bespoke refrigerators. We’ve expanded the Bespoke range to FDR (French Door refrigerators) in the U.S. market in 4-door and 3-door models. This represents a significant expansion of our lineup following the release of Bespoke refrigerators in 4-Door Flex, Bottom Mount Freezer and 1-Door Column types in 2021.

One unique point of innovation for Samsung’s Bespoke refrigerator is the Beverage Center. Featuring a water dispenser hidden inside the door, the Beverage Center offers a convenient, hygienic solution that enables the fridge to feature a smooth exterior. Along with the new Bespoke refrigerators, we’re also showcasing other vibrant and colourful products that are part of the Bespoke kitchen like oven ranges and dishwashers.

These days, we’re seeing more customers in the U.S. choose modern designs for their kitchens. With Bespoke, we want to show that it’s possible to decorate your kitchen based on your individual tastes with a palette that includes colours that blend in with your interior, as well as accent colours.

At CES, we are also showcasing SmartThings Cooking, a service that introduces connected experiences to the kitchen. With this service, users can receive recipe recommendations and information to help them save time on both prep and cooking. SmartThings Cooking recommends recipes that fit your tastes and dietary restrictions, then builds meal plans to match. As you’re cooking, it also sends recipe instructions directly to synced Samsung cooking devices.

Q: What are some unique or attractive aspects of the new Bespoke offerings that you don’t want visitors at CES to miss?

First, I’d like to underline the expansion of the Bespoke range, which gives consumers who want their refrigerator to reflect their preferences in terms of colour and materials even more options to choose from.  Since launching Bespoke in the U.S. in 2021, we’ve seen continuous demand for this type of customization. Delivering on this is one of the reasons we added the French Door refrigerator to our 2022 Bespoke refrigerator lineup. The panels come in twelve colours, which means that there are over 20,000 possible colour combinations for a four-door refrigerator alone. I am confident that no other refrigerator offers customers this much choice.

Another can’t-miss aspect is the features. The Beverage Center, for instance includes a 1.4-liter AutoFill water pitcher, as well as a Dual Auto Ice Maker that holds up to 4.1kg of ice. What’s more, the FlexZone offers five different temperature modes to keep ingredients like meat, seafood, fruits and vegetables at optimal temperatures. These unique features help bring greater convenience to users’ daily lives.

Users also get to experience an even smarter kitchen with Family Hub, which is included in the latest Bespoke refrigerator lineup. By using the large screen on the front of the refrigerator users can enjoy music and videos in the kitchen and control kitchen appliances and smart devices too. With a screen that integrates seamlessly into the door panel, and with a highly aesthetic design and minimized bezels, the Bespoke Family Hub is capable of blending into any space.

Last but not least, we are introducing the Bespoke Atelier app that we first launched in Korea to the global market. The app offers access to more than 170 works of art from global artists, covering various periods, trends and themes. It recommends works of art and allows you to create your own gallery of sorts by customizing your display to suit your tastes. In addition, when users display an artwork in listening mode, they’ll be able to hear a description of the art with subtitles. This makes it feel like you’re enjoying a guided tour an art museum from the comfort of your kitchen.

▲ Samsung’s Bespoke Family Hub refrigerator

Q: Our way of life has changed dramatically over the past two years, with technology that connects people becoming more important as contactless ways of doing things increasingly become the norm. What kind of impact do you think the products and technologies showcased at CES 2022 will have on people’s lives?

As users have begun to spend more and more time at home, their lives have become more “home-centric”. We expect this trend to continue in 2022. At the same time, concern for sustainability continues to increase on the heels of events like the United Nations’ COP26 conference, and with environmental regulations being strengthened across the globe. With these shifts in consumer lifestyles and interests in mind, Samsung has been working to provide kitchen solutions that are “customized, smarter, and more sustainable.”

Our customized kitchen solutions cater to users who have been spending a lot of time in their kitchen and thus feel a stronger desire to remodel their space to reflect their tastes. By expanding our Bespoke lineup, we are providing a more diverse range of refrigerator types and colour options, helping users build customized kitchens that suit both their lifestyle and their interior design scheme.

Spending more time at home has naturally led to a rise in home cooking as well. To help make this easier by making kitchens “smarter”, Samsung introduced SmartThings Cooking, a tailored cooking journey service that does everything from looking up recipes to creating a diet plan and even shops for groceries. Powered by Whisk’s Food AI, SmartThings Cooking recommends your personalized recipe and meal plans based on your tastes, dietary needs and groceries you have on hand. The service also allows you to enjoy convenient one-stop grocery shopping with your favorite grocery retail brands available through the Whisk network. When it comes time to cook, SmartThings ensures a seamless cooking expreience while communicating directly with your smart Samsung kitchen appliances.

And with Family Hub, consumers can even utilise this service through the display on the front of their fridge while continuing to control other home appliances from it as well.

Finally, our kitchen solutions are becoming “more sustainable.” Bespoke refrigerators are built for high energy efficiency, and their replaceable door panels help extend their lifespans. Samsung continues to innovate on this front, seeking out ways to incorporate cutting-edge technology into our appliances while keeping sustainability in mind as well.

The Freestyle : Designing a projector that’s not limited by space

▲ Jungrae Kim of Samsung Electronics’ Visual Display Business proudly displays The Freestyle, a new portable screen introduced at CES.

Q: Could you walk us through how your team came up with The Freestyle?

Ever since the pandemic changed our daily lives, our personal spaces have become more and more important. This is particularly true of relaxing spaces like the bedroom, where we’re seeing more people using products for the purposes of entertainment. We’re also seeing more people utilise cozy and quiet spaces in their homes, as well as increased interest in spending time outdoors – by going camping, for example. We wanted to reflect these trends of our time in our products, and enable users to use them as they wish – anytime, anywhere, and regardless of space limitations. That’s how we came up with the personal, movable smart projector that is The Freestyle.

Q: What are unique points of the Freestyle?

The Freestyle was designed to offer users new levels of functionality. It’s easy to see what sets this product apart just by looking at it. To allow users to carry around every day, we designed The Freestyle to be lightweight, weighing just 830 grams. The fact that you can conveniently carry it with you wherever you go is its biggest advantage.

The Freestyle also features a simpler installation process. All users need to do is place The Freestyle wherever they want, and then turn it on. That’s it. The Freestyle comes with full auto keystone and auto leveling features, enabled by industry-leading technology. The features allow the device to automatically adjust to any surface at any angle, providing a perfectly proportional image every time.

Users can enjoy a seamless and continuous viewing experience by accessing their user accounts and settings for major OTT services. On top of that, we’ve also applied the industry’s first far-field voice control technology. So when it is turned on, users can search for content using just their voice. When the projector is off, they can use the device to listen to music or ask for the day’s weather just as they would with a smart speaker.

The Freestyle’s picture and sound quality – the most basic and important features of any display – also deserve a closer look. We applied Samsung TVs’ picture quality engine, and the white balance is adjusted automatically according to the colour and tone of the wall that is being projected to. We also applied dual passive radiators to produce deep, high-quality bass. This allows customers to enjoy a cinema-quality sound experience no matter where they are.

Q: In line with Samsung’s ‘Screens Everywhere’ vision, The Freestyle can be utilized in various ways for maximum convenience. What are some specific use cases for The Freestyle?

First of all, The Freestyle can be conveniently set up in a user’s bedroom. While lying in bed, before falling asleep, they can use the device’s integrated cradle to move the projection from the wall to the ceiling to continue watching a movie more comfortably. The Freestyle can also be placed lightly on a dining room table, transforming the room into a new space for entertainment.

In order to utilise spaces like this, our developers came up with a new installation solution that we applied to the product. Thanks to those efforts, users can also utilise the device on a tabletop or floor by connecting it to a standard E26 light socket[1]. There’s no need for a separate power supply or cable connection, so it can be used immediately.

For powering it up, The Freestyle is compatible with external batteries^[2] that support USB-PD and 50W/20V output or above, so users can take it with them anywhere, whether they are on the move, on a camping trip and more. When it’s not used as a projector to stream content, The Freestyle also provides mood lighting effect thanks to its ambient mode and translucent lens cap.

Through close cooperation with Samsung’s MX (Mobile eXperience) Business, we’ve equipped The Freestyle with a button that syncs it with Galaxy devices. With just a push of a button, users can instantly use their Galaxy device as a remote control. They can also utilise mobile hotspots when no Wi-Fi networks are available. We’ve developed this product by paying close attention to even the smallest details, all to make the device just as convenient and easy to use outdoors as it is at home.

[1] Light socket connection feature will be first applied in US.

[2] USamsung is not liable for 3rd party external batteries.

“Consumers, especially millennials, are spending more time at home and demanding products that enhance their everyday lives with customised features,” said JaeSeung Lee, President and Head of Samsung Electronics’ Digital Appliances Division. “Great, reliable performance is now a basic expectation. The standard for a better, smarter home experience is now decided by how closely appliances can be ‘fit’ to various customer lifestyles.”

Introducing a More Tailored Take on Appliance Design

Customisation is already a key feature of Samsung appliances. Guided by a design philosophy first introduced with a project known as Project PRISM, Samsung appliances cater to users’ unique needs, reflecting their lifestyles just as a prism refracts light into various colors.

That customisable, lifestyle-centric philosophy is epitomised by Samsung’s Bespoke refrigerators. The company’s flagship refrigerator lineup was first introduced in Korea in 2019, and has since expanded into global markets. Offering multiple types of modules, along with panels that can be customised with various colors and finishes, the Bespoke range challenges industry norms by empowering users to customise their fridge to their décor, rather than vice versa.

Bespoke turned out to be a game-changer, driving two-thirds of refrigerator sales in Korea, and proving that consumers – particularly millennials – are in the market for appliances that answer their unique lifestyle needs. The refrigerators went on to launch in select markets around the world, bringing a revolution in home appliances wherever they went.

Launching the ‘Bespoke Home’ Era

In Samsung’s vision for the future, the concept of customising appliances to fit users’ lifestyles does not stop with refrigerators. Indeed, the company is constantly exploring ways to add customisable elements to a wide range of appliances – from staple appliances like refrigerators to relatively new categories of devices, including air purifiers and the clothing care device AirDresser.

The company’s vision does not stop at hardware design, either. Equipping appliances with AI capabilities and connectivity will be crucial for creating more holistic and personalised user experiences. Washing machines that automatically relay cycle information to dryers, refrigerators that know when milk will go bad, air purifiers that switch on automatically when air quality drops – these are a few examples of how Samsung is using its leadership in connectivity and intelligence to put the consumer at the center of every appliance experience.

While continuously upgrading software in devices like the beloved Family Hub refrigerator, Samsung is continuously enhancing its SmartThings ecosystem with services that allow consumers to input personal preferences and manage their appliances for a more closely tailored experience.

The idea of taking a more bespoke approach to home appliance design will take center stage at CES 2021. Not only will Samsung kick off Bespoke’s entry in the U.S. market with the unveiling of the all-new 4-Door Flex Bespoke refrigerator, but the company will also reveal exciting new ways that its smart appliances work with users and each other to make life easier for all lifestyles.

“We see the future of Bespoke home appliances as not only being about design, but about performance, hygiene, and sustainability as well,” says Lee. Samsung is excited to present this new way of thinking about home appliances, beginning at this year’s CES. We look forward to another year of developing innovations that put consumers’ needs first.”