Samsung admits a bad software update has been bricking its soundbars

Facepalm: If you're the proud owner of a top-of-the-line Samsung soundbar from 2024, chances are you've had a pretty rough week. The company has admitted that a crappy software update has managed to brick "certain" models from last year's soundbar lineup, turning them into pricey paperweights. The confirmation comes straight from Jim Kiczek, the head of audio at Samsung Electronics America. In a statement to The Verge, Kiczek called it a "software update error" that impacted some of the company's 2024 soundbars. He says Samsung is now offering free repairs for all affected units regardless of warranty status. For some context, reports started flooding in last week about Samsung's flagship HW-Q990D soundbar going haywire after a firmware update. Owners complained that while these premium systems did power on, they froze on the TV eARC input. They then became completely unresponsive and cut off from the Samsung SmartThings app. No amount of resets or reboots could revive them. The iss ... Read full article.