Samsung, LG reimagine the home for a post-Covid future

Tech

Published: 03 Sep. 2020, 18:43

Samsung, LG reimagine the home for a post-Covid future

A smart mirror installed at LG Electronics' ThinQ home in Pangyo, Gyeonggi. [LG Electronics]

Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics unveiled new lineups of home appliances and devices targeting a lifestyle where people spent the majority of their time at home this week.

LG Electronics introduced new products under the theme “Life’s Good from Home,” showing off connected appliances using LG’s artificial intelligence (AI) platform ThinQ, at an event held alongside the IFA 2020 trade show in Berlin.

The tech giant didn't actually set up a physical booth in Berlin, instead holding a “virtual exhibition,” a digitized home setting featuring a wide range of new appliances.

LG Electronics chief technology officer Park Il-pyung took to the stage as a hologram on Wednesday in the IFA trade show in Berlin. [LG ELECTRONICS]

LG Electronics chief technology officer Park Il-pyung delivered a speech in hologram form, explaining the company’s vision.

“These unprecedented times have made us more uncertain about the future,” Park said. “LG believes this presents a unique opportunity to make real change in the world by realizing a new potential for the home."

Park led a virtual tour of the LG ThinQ Home, a lifelike house equipped with the latest technologies and machines in Pangyo, Gyeonggi.

One of the most notable features was smart mirror Home Concierge, which shows the operational state of connected appliances, home energy usage and even allows users to control the charging of an electric car.

LG also announced that it is in the process of building a system aimed at monitoring patients with chronic conditions around the clock.

“Through [artificial intelligence], we can easily and more precisely monitor the health of consumers 24/7,” said Park. “Recently in Korea we successfully administered a pilot project with Seoul National University in using AI to improve the monitoring and care of patients with chronic conditions,” he said.

Samsung Electronics skipped the trade show this year, holding its own event to show off its high-end display products, targeting consumers looking for ways to entertain themselves at home.

The Premiere smart projector developed by Samsung Electronics. [Samsung Electronics]

In its "Life Unstoppable" event on Tuesday, Samsung Electronics showed off its smart projector The Premiere, which offers 4K picture quality, according to the tech giant.

The Premiere comes in two models — one designed to offer a 130-inch projection and the other 120-inch.

The projector will be available this year in Korea and most of Europe.

Also featured was The Terrace, Samsung’s first television specifically built for outdoor viewing.

As well as offering QLED 4K picture quality, the screen comes with intelligent sound system Adaptive Sound, designed to adapt sound quality to what is being watched.

The Terrace will initially be released in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Britain and Switzerland in 55, 65, and 75-inch models, according to Samsung.

Besides the display products, the electronics maker also demonstrated gaming monitor Odyssey G5, a bespoke refrigerator and new washing machine and dryer with smart learning solutions and auto-linking capabilities.

“This year has seen us completely re-evaluate our relationship with technology in a way that no one could have expected,” said Benjamin Braun, chief marketing officer at Samsung Europe. “At Samsung, we not only embrace these changes, but aim to stay one step ahead — already innovating with the future in mind."

BY PARK EUN-JEE [park.eunjee@joongang.co.kr]