Generative Wallpaper is one of our favorite tools released on Galaxy phones this year as part of the Galaxy AI suite. Now, for the first time since the launch of Galaxy AI on mobile devices, Samsung is bringing this fun feature to a completely different device type, i.e., a refrigerator.
Samsung announced today that Family Hub refrigerators released after 2022 are being upgraded with the Generative Wallpaper feature. But there's more to this than meets the eye, and we're worried Samsung might be moving toward monetizing AI in unexpected ways.
Generative AI, finally available for non-mobile devices
Up until now, Galaxy AI hasn't really made it past phones, tablets, and the latest wearable devices — in a limited capacity. And even if Samsung keeps saying that the Galaxy Book 4 Edge was built for Galaxy AI, none of the tools included in the Galaxy AI suite run natively on the notebook.
However, for the first time since the introduction of Galaxy AI and Generative Wallpapers, Samsung is now expanding this feature to support a completely different type of device. Not even a TV, but a smart fridge. And with this release come some odd and even worrying limitations.
Do Family Hub Generative Wallpapers hint at a future paid subscription?
In case you don't know, Samsung's Family Hub refrigerator is equipped with a 32-inch display embedded in one of its doors. The 32-inch FHD screen on the 2024 Bespoke 4-Door Flex with AI Family Hub+ is driven by a 1.8Ghz hexa-core CPU and 3GB of RAM. The fridge even has 16GB of storage. And it all runs on Tizen OS.
Now, according to Samsung, the Generative Wallpaper feature is available for Family Hub refrigerators released in Korea and the USA after 2022. Oddly enough, there is no mention of Europe or other markets. But that could change in the future.
More to the point at hand, the Generative Wallpaper tool for Family Hub refrigerators has an unusual limitation, as Samsung allows only up to 5 Generative AI images to be created every day.
Galaxy phones and tablets are not affected by this kind of limit, and there's no telling why Samsung felt the need to do things differently on Family Hub refrigerators.
Is this a sign that Samsung might be slowly moving toward monetizing AI tools? Will Samsung allow users to lift this limit in exchange for a fee? We'll have to wait and see, but it is unusual nonetheless.
In the past, there have been several reports hinting that Samsung wants to offer extra AI features through a subscription model. This hasn't happened yet, but if it ever does, we hope Samsung will find a better way than forcing seemingly arbitrary limits.
It is true that running powerful Generative AI tools in the cloud can be costly, and it is why tools like ChatGPT offer free and paid tiers. We know Samsung has been trying to get a subscription or two from its users in one way or another for years. But if it's going to do it through Galaxy AI, we hope Samsung will look into offering more optional advanced AI tools in exchange for a fee rather than taking away or limiting what we can now use freely.
The story continues after the video
Samsung says Family Hub users can choose from seven categories and six art styles to create unique Generative Wallpapers through the power of AI. Images can be saved in an album for future use or applied to the Family Hub cover screen or whiteboard. Either way, you won't be able to explore all the combinations in one day.
If you want to see this feature in action, Samsung said it will demonstrate how it all works during IFA 2024 in Berlin in early September.
