FTC hits Samsung with a $15 million fine over Galaxy S21, S22's 'false' gaming performance
- The FTC has reportedly imposed a $15 million (20 billion KRW) fine against Samsung for misleading mobile gamers with the Galaxy S21, S22, and Tab S8.
- It states that the devices featured a GOS (game optimization service), which would handle heat generation for the devices; however, it was found to hinder gaming performance regardless of temperature.
- The devices would suffer from decreased graphical performance, lag, and freezes.
Samsung has reportedly been served a hefty fine in South Korea over its "misleading" gaming experience on a few past-gen devices.
According to Yonhap News (Korean), the FTC has imposed a $15 million fine (20 billion KRW) for misleading mobile gamers with the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S22, and Galaxy Tab S8 series (via SamMobile). In a statement, the FTC said, "Gaming performance was one of the most effective indicators for showcasing the capabilities of premium smart devices through rapid screen transitions and elaborate graphical effects."
However, in Samsung's old advertisements, it showcased an experience that users seldom received.
It was reported that the devices in question featured a GOS: a game optimizing service. The post states that this service was responsible for the "heat management system" for games. The FTC found that Samsung's GOS wasn't an aid to gamers, but a hindrance. The GOS would begin limiting the device's performance when a game was launched, resulting in reduced graphical performance, freezing, and lag.
One would imagine that a phone's performance would decline a bit (or, at least lower its quality) if it was generating too much heat. After all, these devices have internal systems to avoid total failure. But what's strange is that the FTC states the GOS would hinder GPU and CPU performance no matter whether the phone (or tablet) was hot or cold.
The FTC states its move "...reaffirms the need by companies to clearly inform consumers of important factors affecting performance..." Samsung reportedly disagrees with the FTC. Yonhap News obtained a statement in which the company says the GOS was put in place to "...allow users to enjoy games stably for extended periods." Moreover, Samsung reportedly plans to defend itself against the FTC's fine.
Heat management, you say?
We all know that I'm a gamer by this point. Nothing is more frustrating than purchasing a device because of its alleged gaming performance to then be disappointed. What did I buy this phone for, then? You can say the same for any aspect of a phone, tablet, or PC. If the advertised or stated performance is not up to par, it's a problem. And it's a bigger problem when the company itself didn't inform users about the glaring limitations.
Gaming has gotten better on phones. If we're thinking about Samsung's flagships, it's definitely improved, but it could be better. The Galaxy S25 Ultra can run intensive games like Wuthering Waves; however, you will need to lower some settings for a stable, smooth FPS (frames per second). Of course, there are other devices out there better equipped to handle these strenuous games.
What's most curious to me about the FTC's fine is that the GOS was a heat management system. Samsung has been no stranger to overheating devices, and its Exynos chip was a major culprit. Phones are going to get hot no matter what, but Exynos was infamous for overheating in the blink of an eye. Samsung has taken strides to improve that with the Exynos 2600, and we've seen rumors about even more updates for the 2700.