When it was first introduced a few years ago, LG Electronics’ ThinQ artificial intelligence-based technology showed a ton of promise. AI, as a general trend, is something that tends to stoke a fair amount of fear in consumers because of the basic nature — thanks Steven Hawking. But credit LG for the way they rolled it outat the time, starting with TVs and image processing. It kept things simple and not so terrifying.
They eventually moved the tech over to appliances and touted its ability to identify and help address potential breakdowns. ThinQ acted as a smart diagnostics platform, providing customers with a seamless, advanced customer service experience, on top of its ability to identify the types of clothes loaded into the washer (or dryer) and auto-select the optimal washing (or drying) settings.
Now, LG is taking the ThinQ platform another step into the future. The brand announced that it’s set to introduce a new “paradigm of home appliance usage” by enabling their products to adapt to the unique and changing lifestyles of customers. In short, their appliances will have the ability to be upgraded and add new features over time.
LG said it developed this under the concept of “Evolving Appliances For You.”
“”Upgradeability challenges the idea that expensive appliances are designed with planned obsolescence in mind,” Lyu Jae-cheol, president of LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solution Company, said in the statement. “We want customers to experience the feeling of getting a new washer or refrigerator throughout the entire lifecycle of an LG appliance, not just the first time they bring the item home.”
The brand explains that upgradability will come in the form of new software, new hardware or both for existing appliances. The example they use shows how a user can improve the performance of an LG PuriCare air purifier when they bring a new pet home by upgrading with the Pet Care Filter. Additionally, upgradable LG dryers will be able to be enhanced to properly care for different climates and fabrics through new accessories and downloadable software found in the Upgrade Center in the LG ThinQ app.
LG said it plans to roll out around 20 upgradable appliances this year.
Rob is the corporate communications manager for Nationwide Marketing Group.
