Ads begin appearing on Samsung Smart TVs, and they're making users angry

A new update has arrived for some Samsung smart TVs, and it's causing a significant amount of controversy by injecting ads into the user interface. We've known this was going to happen for most of the year, but now it seems like an update that launched earlier in the month is finally making it a reality. As a result, there are quite a few unhappy Samsung users today.

According to a report by AdAge, Samsung's latest update for some models of smart TVs forces users to view ads within the menu if they want to continue using their TV's smart features. Essentially, this means that the only way to get rid of the ads is to disconnect your TV from the internet. Do that, though, and that smart TV immediately becomes a dumb TV.

That means no Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime content unless you're using another media streaming device. Obviously, stripping your TV of its smart features just to get rid of ads you never wanted in the first place is a frustrating solution, and it should come as no surprise that many Samsung owners are upset. In a megathread on Reddit, many users are voicing their disappointment and figuring out workarounds.

Samsung, for its part, delivered a statement about the ads to AdAge. "We are always looking for ways to enhance the TV watching experience," a Samsung rep said. "Users can opt-out of these interest based ads at any time in the settings menu of their televisions and still get all of the smart features of their TVs."

Of course, just how much injecting unwanted ads enhances the TV watching experience is up for debate, and it seems like opting out doesn't do anything to stop ads entirely. Instead, as Samsung's own statement says, it'll merely stop internet-based, targeted ads, with some reporting that they still see ads even after opting out.

There's always a chance that Samsung will make an about-face if enough people complain about this, but for now, ads seem to be a reality for at least some models of smart TVs. We'll keep an eye on this story to see how it develops, but in the meantime, if you're considering a smart TV in an effort to the cut the cord and drop all the ads that come with a cable subscription, you may want to consider a manufacturer other than Samsung.

SOURCE: AdAge