Ads are now baked into Samsung devices and widgets?

[Marsover]

Why is it that when using the local Samsung widget for weather, there's now ad strips? This isn't an app I downloaded... this is the pre-installed Samsung weather widget that I've always used, and its never had ads till now. This is making Samsung look worse than phones that pre-bake their software chalf full of ads. Not to mention this isn't the first complaint you guys receive either - ads are now popping up for new Samsung devices when they're announced. And "places" when looking to dial a call has ads too?? This is a 2000$ flagship phone, you'd think that the software would be ad free for that price tag [or any other for that matter. It was never advertised it came with ads built in... trying to follow suit with xiaomi or what] Genuinely rethinking which brand i want as my next phone. This isn't a free service.. like yt that needs ad sense. This is a product customers paid for, and if that revenue isn't enough, then there needs to be a bit of an overhaul on how things are done because adding ads in to core stock programs and features which cannot be disabled, is alarming. 

/rant

[EmersonHaensel]

Same here, I'm very annoyed by this. They have to fix it immediately!!

[JohnH]

I am encouraging anyone who's upset by this to look at phones outside of samsungs ecosystem for their next upgrade. I am not going to support a company that throws banner ads into stock apps on a flagship phone I paid good money for.

My dad has been a long time samsung user like myself and I am going to try and convince him to jump ship to iOS with me next year, and I am no longer going to recommend samsung products to my friends or other family members. Thinking of buying a samsung tv? Look at LG instead. Want to buy a Samsung fridge? I've heard good things about whirlpool. Looking at samsung laptops? Allow me to steer you towards Dell.

This is just insulting. I assume many samsung fans in this community will think I'm taking this too seriously and its not that big of a deal, but it is. Imagine buying youtube premium and still getting ads? Or paying to remove ads from a game you enjoy and you keep getting ads. You'd be pissed, cancel your subscription, or demand a refund. That is what I'm doing with samsung products. I was hoping samsung would give me a good reason to buy the S21 next year, but its clear they don't give a crap about their customers.

[Marsover]

Absolutely agree, couldn't have said it better myself. I have been an avid Samsung user since I got the S4 way back when, and have loved every moment of those phones till this popped up. I got the s20plus on release date on a pre order, I was so hyped but this feels like a slap in the face for avid Samsung fans. Provided Apple gets it together for battery usage.. I will absolutely jump ship off of Samsung and try ios (not to mention a lidar sensor on their cameras is already quite tempting 😅)

[JohnH]

I was thinking about other decent android devices that get good support in Canada and I couldn't think of any. I feel like samsung knows that in markets like ours the two big choices you have for phones is either a samsung phone or an iPhone, so they are banking on their customers being so anti-apple/pro-android that they **bleep** up bad decisions like ads or high smartphone prices and keep buying their phones, "because its not an iPhone".

Samsung has been riding a wave for too long and its time someone brought them back to reality. When I first got my S5 I couldn't imagine myself buying an iPhone, but now I am actually looking forward to my next upgrade and to dip my feet into the Apple ecosystem.

Congrats samsung, you successfully turned one of your customers into an apple guy because of your own bad decisions.

[Anonymous]

I already have since seeing 2 apps I never installed being updated.

[Halston]

Hi Marsover,
Samsung is reviewing the advertisement services to provide more diverse and convenient services for our customers.
The weather app is one of the most popular services, and Samsung selectively provides users with the necessary advertisement information. Samsung is committed to providing the best possible mobile experiences and product quality continues to be one of our top priorities.

[Marsover]

For a flagship device that provides ads in built in software and widgets, which has been paid for, is unacceptable. Like mentioned in the thread above, it is no different than having to pay for something like yt premium, yet still receiving ads. If Samsung wants to include them? Fine, but then don't hide this and have customers have to find out the hard way, or at the very least introduce a simple toggle to turn it all off. It can't be any simpler than: if i paid for it, I shouldn't be bombarded with ads. Not to mention, the end user data that you would collect to provide users with these ads, are also an issue.
If "Samsung is committed to providing the best mobile experienced and product quality as a top priority", show it. Actions speak louder than words, and right now I am getting ads from a phone I for. To reiterate, I get ads from a free app that I CHOSE to download, but it is unacceptable to force them into a phone I purchased with, into core software, apps and widgets we can't uninstall.

[Halston]

Hi Marsover,

Thanks for your response. We will consider it as a valuable feedback.

[JohnH]

"Samsung selectively provides users with necessary advertisement information"

Samsung doesn't get to choose whether or not my phone gets ads. I should be the only one who makes that decision. My S10e is the product that I control, I am not the product samsung controls.

Because of this post alone samsung lost two customers. I hope you share that with the "concerned team".