Global Biz

Samsung unveils WiFi-equipped refrigerator

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-03-04 15:29

SEOUL- Samsung Electronics Co., South Korea' s largest electronics manufacturer, unveiled a new refrigerator model featuring wireless fidelity (WiFi) capabilities designed by an Italian jeweler, the company said Thursday.

The Zipel Massimo Zucchi, a side-by-side high-end fridge named after the Italian jeweler who designed the model, is intended to better-serve the female customer base, the company said in a press release.

The new model also comes with a built-in 10-inch touch screen that is capable of Internet surfing, and has eco-friendly features such as the "Smart Eco-system," which drops the monthly electricity rate to 31.8 kWh, a near 10 percent saving in electricity bills, the company added.

Digital pictures and data, including recipes or family photos, may be sent back and forth from other wireless products to the fridge that can display such images on its screen, it added.

"Samsung will lead the luxury, premium refrigerator market with the release of this model, and grow into a top brand in the refrigerator market," the company said in a statement.

The new WiFi-equipped model will be released on the global market later this month, Samsung said.

Samsung has been the best-selling brand in South Korea's fridge market for 13 straight years, as it also claimed the top spot in the United States market in 2009, the company added.