Samsung, LG Push Internet Of Things With AI-Based Air Conditioners

After introducing a bunch of new technologies and upcoming products at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2018 last week, crosstown rivals Samsung and LG are now poised to launch their artificial intelligence-based air conditioners within this month.

On Tuesday, South Korean news agency Yonhap learned from industry sources that the two neighboring tech companies are preparing to introduce their new smart cooling systems this January. LG has already scheduled the launch event for its advanced air conditioners later this week, while Samsung is expected to introduce its new products later this month.

The idea that Samsung and LG are releasing AI-powered air conditioners shouldn’t come as a surprise by now. The two home appliance manufacturers emphasized during CES that they will be pushing their Internet of Things (IoT) technology and AI technology to their upcoming products.

With IoT, Samsung and LG’s new air conditioners will be capable of connecting to the Internet and share data with other connected devices. This makes it possible for consumers to easily control an array of devices while giving commands to one of the connected devices.

For Samsung’s part, the Galaxy S9 maker is gearing up to introduce the upgraded versions of its best-selling wind-free air conditioners. These new systems will feature Bixby 2.0, which is designed for home appliances instead of just smartphones. The inclusion of Bixby would mean the new air conditioners are part of Samsung products that have support for the SmartThings Hub IoT.

Samsung explained at its CES booth that it envisions a powerful IoT platform for its customers, so it is rolling out its smart digital assistant to a variety of its devices. According to the tech giant, it wants its consumers to have control over its different products by just using Bixby to command and manage its hundreds of smart appliances and devices that are connected to its SmartThings platform.

LG’s new cooling systems, on the other hand, are the 2018 versions of the company’s Whisen air conditioners. They will feature LG’s AI brand ThinQ and will have deep-learning capabilities. LG is introducing these new products at its headquarters in Yeouido, central Seoul, this coming Thursday. The electronics company will reportedly offer various gifts and discounts to buyers of the new Whisen models, according to Korea Herald.

Meanwhile, consumers are also patiently waiting for Samsung and LG’s new flagship handsets for the first half of 2018. Samsung is already expected to take the wraps off of its Galaxy S9 flagship phone at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 in Barcelona next month. On the contrary, LG’s chief has recently ordered for the revision of the G7 from scratch. The revised handset is now believed to be launching sometime in April.