As firms introduced sensible equipment after sensible equipment, some individuals (myself included) questioned why the hell you’d wish to join one thing like a washer or fridge to the web. Samsung, nonetheless, got here up with a really compelling, if area of interest, use case: The corporate introduced in December that it was issuing an over-the-air software program patch as a part of a recall for some top-loading washing machines that “could quick circuit and overheating, presenting a fireplace hazard.”
It should even ship some clients a dongle in case the washing machines cannot connect with Wi-Fi.
Welcome to “the equipment business’s first over-the-air software program recall treatment”.
In response to Samsung, your washer ought to mechanically obtain the replace by way of its SmartThings app if you have already got it arrange and linked to Wi-Fi. Nonetheless, it advises customers to examine what software program model their vehicles are operating and to “instantly obtain this software program replace” earlier than utilizing their vehicles once more, if it isn’t already put in. Individuals who have not linked their Wi-Fi-enabled vehicles can achieve this by following the corporate’s directions right here.
Samsung says the issue is that the management panel of about 14 fashions offered within the US between June 2021 and December 2022 might overheat, inflicting it to smoke, soften and even catch hearth. About 663,500 models are affected, based on the Shopper Product Security Fee, the regulator dealing with the recollects. The CPSC additionally notes “51 stories of smoking, melting, overheating or hearth involving washing machines; 10 of which resulted in property harm.” Three individuals had been additionally reportedly injured as a consequence of smoke inhalation.
Washer recollects aren’t all that unusual — Whirlpool and GE each recalled models as a consequence of hearth considerations, and Samsung settled a class-action lawsuit over machines that might vibrate excessively and probably break down whereas doing so factor, which the CPSC described. as “influence accidents”. However this technique of recalling them is not frequent, not less than for home equipment (Tesla fixes a whole lot of recollects by way of software program updates). Samsung calls this “the house equipment business’s first over-the-air software program recall.”
For these going through a recall, having to take action through a software program replace will be easier than having to schedule a house restore or hauling a heavy, cumbersome machine out of their houses.
I say “perhaps” as a result of, like many IoT units, there are some caveats that individuals could encounter if they should join their washer to the web for the primary time. Samsung says you will not have the ability to connect with a community if it has something however letters and numbers within the identify, and that it needs to be a 2.4Ghz community – a whole lot of routers today will use the identical SSID for each 2.four. and 5Ghz networks, and whereas units ought to theoretically have the ability to navigate this case, it does not at all times work completely. (I personally have separate 2.four and 5Ghz networks for that reason, though not everybody will have the ability to determine set that up.)
Whereas these is likely to be comparatively minor hurdles for the tech-inclined, they might actually be troublesome for others if their Wi-Fi setup occurs to be a bit of out of the extraordinary. Then there are the units that do not have built-in Wi-Fi. In case you have certainly one of these, you may contact Samsung to get a dongle that plugs right into a particular port in your machine. In response to a Samsung instruction video, the dongle will mechanically replace your washer’s software program after you plug it in .
Clearly, it is not nice that this downside occurred within the first place, however I am going to give Samsung credit score for arising with what looks as if an affordable answer right here, even with the potential Wi-Fi pitfalls. Washing machines are essential home equipment in lots of households, and having to go per week or two with out one could be no enjoyable. And whereas fixing an issue through a software program replace will not be doable in each situation — and Samsung is unusually obscure about whether or not the issue stems from a software program bug within the first place — on this case, it’s best to it means individuals can have their vehicles. be again and operating safely in an hour or two.