When Smart Products Introduce New Points of Failure: The Case of Samsung Bespoke AI Refrigerators

On September 23, 2026, StarNews Korea reported that some Samsung smart fridges unexpectedly lost power and stopped working after a firmware update via the company’s SmartThings app. The news outlet cited multiple posts on Samsung Electronics' product online community confirming that the Samsung fridges had stopped working after the firmware update, with some fridges stuck displaying the message “Checking SmartThings app during update” in the internal panel screen. In more severe cases, some fridges also lost power, leading to issues such as spoiled food. Additionally, StarNews Korea identified the affected fridge models as Bespoke AI 4-Door fridges that were released in 2024 or later. Based on reporting from Ars Technica, the issue is confined to South Korea, with no similar issues being observed in overseas markets.

Smart—or connected—products bring about a host of benefits, including remote monitoring and control, home automation, and better energy management. In cases where Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities are also integrated, smart devices can also support advanced intelligent operators. In the case of AI-enabled fridges, some of these features include: 1) AI vision and food recognition; 2) intelligent energy adjustments; and 3) integrated smart home hubs with voice-control support, among others.

However, increasingly integrated software alongside hardware also leads to an increase in the number of potential points of failure, as clearly evidenced by the Samsung refrigerator incident. Beyond hardware failures, software issues and bugs can now also lead to fridges losing basic functionalities, such as cooling and freezing food. While not relevant in this case, the added connectivity to traditional “dumb” appliances also introduces new attack vectors for cyber criminals. A case in point is the recent cyberattack in France that impacted the operation of supermarket refrigerators across the country, leading to millions of euros in food wastage and losses.

Another interesting point to note in the Samsung case is the difficulty in recovering some of these affected fridges. Based on reports, some complex cases could not be resolved remotely and required on-site visits, thereby further adding to the costs incurred by the smart home vendor.

While it is good—and potentially a Unique Vale Proposition (UVP)—to integrate new features and capabilities into their smart devices/appliances, smart home vendors need to be ensure that these features do not impact the original and key purpose of their devices. For example, in the case of refrigerators, this purpose is to keep the food fresh. Not being able to do so could lead to significant consequences, such as 1) increased operating costs (for on-site maintenance); 2) customer dissatisfaction and churn; 3) loss of company reputation and branding; or 4) in extreme cases, class-action lawsuits and legal action.

The shift to Information Technology (IT) systems and solutions is understandably difficult, particularly for traditional hardware players now trying to integrate software capabilities into their products. To address this challenge, ABI Research suggests that smart home vendors consider these recommendations:

• Collaborate with IoT Platform Vendors: For smaller players and new entrants, it is difficult to deploy and maintain a software stack or platform in-house. Instead, vendors should consider leveraging Internet of Things (IoT) platform solutions, such as those offered by Ayla Networks and Tuya Smart, that can support the latest security and connectivity standards. This enables smaller smart home vendors to focus on developing the best hardware and Go-to-Market (GTM) strategies.
• Learn from the IT Ecosystem: For larger players that want to develop their own platform solutions, it is important that they adopt the best practices from the IT sector, including but not limited to the agile methodology, Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) processes, and Development and IT Operations (DevOps) integration. Partnering with leading software platforms and IT system integrators is also a good option to build and maintain robust software capabilities.
• Ensure that Products Are Protected: Device vendors need to consider cybersecurity protection as a fundamental part of their product design process. This includes ensuring that their products comply with relevant cybersecurity regulations (e.g., the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), etc.) and the potential integration of hardware-based security solutions.

While it is understandable that some businesses will want to develop their own platforms in-house due to cost and control concerns, it is important to consider the consequences when these systems break. Smart home vendors need to consider the pros and cons of both approaches and select the option that best suits their business strategy and needs.