Latest breakthroughs in smart home appliances are unveiled at CES 2016
Samsung, Whirlpool and LG offer interactive refrigerators packed with hi-tech features
Could 2016 be the year that the internet of things (IoT) becomes bedded down in the automated smart home?
Analysts believe so, given the plethora of intelligent products unveiled this month at the global technology exhibition CES 2016 in Las Vegas.
The latest inventions from the world’s top consumer electronics brands are showing that “smart” products have moved beyond the gimmicky to the downright useful. As NextMarket Insights analyst Michael Wolf stated at the show: “Once consumers realise that these [new] technologies are just so much better than the old technology, they'll probably adopt them."
B.K. Yoon, president and CEO of Samsung Electronics, says the new batch of home appliances with IoT technology will improve the quality of life for consumers. “When things communicate with each other, and more so when things communicate with people based on the IoT, unimaginable value will be created.”
One of the latest breakthroughs is in refrigerators such as Samsung’s Family Hub, a handy multitasker which not only organises groceries, but home chores as well, and can even provide entertainment.
The fridge features a “virtual pinboard” on the door that houses and displays all communications on a 21.5-inch, full HD LCD resolution touchscreen screen. “As the refrigerator’s digital family command centre, the screen allows you to post, share and update calendars, pin photos, share kids’ works of art, and leave notes – all with the ease and convenience of your smartphone,” the brand explains.
