Samsung has announced the 2019 version of its excellent Family Hub refrigerator, which now includes the company’s Bixby personal assistant.
The updated fridge will act in a similar way to a smart display, with owners able to summon a Morning Brief, which will read out the news and weather accompanied by on-screen content.
Samsung says Bixby’s Voice ID talents will be put to use, identifying each member of the household to delivery bespoke content in response to voice commands. Samsung says users will also be able to make use of some of the newer additions to Bixby, such as the ability to converse with the assistant to request an Uber.
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Those audio responses will now boosted by speakers tuned by AKG, Samsung says, which will offer “sound that is deep in bass and rich in mid-range.”
The new version is a considerable update from a smart home perspective too, including the ability to connect to the SmartThings ecosystem of smart lights, cameras, thermostats and more. Users will be able to control those gadgets directly from the screen, as well as via the Bixby voice commands.
Naturally, the fridge still has its handiest feature, which is the internal camera that owners can access remotely to check the contents of their refrigerators. However, the company is also touting a new Meal Planner feature that will help owners create healthier meals based upon items that are in the fridge.
Finally, the company is offering an improved Family Board, which acts as a digital bulletin board everyone can use. Samsung says: “Users can now have a devoted screen to share photos, messages and memories on their fridge, and are able to customize their photos with different photo styles, add handwritten notes and stickers, and even change the background color to match their kitchen – all bringing the family closer to elevate the way they connect and share.”
Can fridges get any smarter than this? Let us know @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
