[Editorial] The Evolving Era of Home Appliances Meets AI and Software

Over the past century, home appliances have evolved to reduce the burden of household chores and add convenience to lives.

The accelerated development of these appliances is marked by the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technology that analyzes usage environments and executes optimal functions to significantly alleviate inconveniences associated with household tasks.

To that end, Samsung Electronics is updating its home appliances every year. With software at the core, these products are transforming from bulky machines into advanced electronic devices perfect for everyday living.

AI Home Appliances Become Lifelong Partners

Samsung home appliances are gradually expanding their role as daily companions through AI. For instance, AI Vision Inside in the Bespoke AI Family Hub™¹ automatically recognizes food ingredients placed on the refrigerator’s shelves with the internal camera to create a food list and remind users of expiration dates. Meanwhile, the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo™ provides a streamlined washing and drying experience with an AI-customized course.

SmartThings offers an interconnected ecosystem of various home appliances and IoT devices that fit users’ lifestyles. Furthermore, the screens on Samsung’s AI home appliances combine the latest hardware and software to orchestrate a multi-device experience that lets users easily control appliances in their homes.

Software Updates With AI Voice Assist and Added Security

As home appliances become increasingly software-driven, regular updates are critical. Samsung brought more than 50 major feature updates to its core home appliance lineup this year through Smart Forward, the company’s software updating service via SmartThings.

Previously exclusive to the 2024 Bespoke 4-Door Refrigerator with AI Family Hub™, Quick Share will now be supported on Family Hub™ refrigerators released in 2017 and later through a software update. Now, users can easily view photos and videos from their smartphone, continue browsing web pages, watch YouTube videos and even create personalized images with the Generative Wallpaper feature all from the Family Hub™ refrigerator’s large screen.

Samsung’s voice assistant was updated in late August to transform how users interact with their Samsung AI home appliances. The Bespoke 4-Door Refrigerator with AI Family Hub™, Bespoke AI Laundry Combo™, Bespoke Jet Bot Combo™ AI Steam and Bespoke AI WindFree™ Gallery Freestanding Air Conditioner² are equipped with the latest version of Bixby to better execute user commands based on natural language.

For instance, a user can ask the robot vacuum cleaner to clean the house and set a time to start the washing machine in one sentence. Bixby will understand the commands and execute each of them accordingly. Users can even hear verbal responses when asking about their air conditioner’s air filter or maintenance status.

In such an interconnected environment, the importance of security software cannot be overlooked. Samsung Knox helps users enjoy their latest AI home appliances with peace of mind. Recent Knox Matrix updates have been applied to the Bespoke 4-Door Refrigerator with AI Family Hub™ for enhanced security by allowing the device to check the security status of other connected appliances.

Accessibility Improvements Made for Everyone

Software improvements are making Samsung home appliances more accessible to everyone.

Last month at IFA 2024, Samsung unveiled Voice ID³ — a feature that recognizes the voices of each family member and offers tailored solutions based on personal characteristics such as schedules, interests and health conditions.

Starting this month, Samsung will offer Accessibility Sync so users can apply accessibility settings from their smartphones to home appliances during initial setup. In the future, this software will integrate with Voice ID to recognize users’ voices and synchronize personalized accessibility settings for each individual.

AI and software in home appliances are transforming everyday life. Samsung’s AI technology will predict and troubleshoot problems with SmartThings-connected home appliances and provide solutions from users’ smartphones. Moreover, remote diagnoses of software errors and system settings will improve the quality and lifespan of home appliances. Catch a glimpse of the futuristic life led by Samsung’s cutting-edge home appliances at the upcoming Samsung Developer Conference 2024 on October 3 in San Jose, California.

¹ The Bespoke AI Family Hub™ refrigerator can recognize and categorize up to 33 different food ingredients. Users must manually name and set expiration dates for other ingredients.
² The Bespoke AI WindFree™ Gallery Freestanding Air Conditioner is only sold in Korea.
³ Voice ID is expected to be available in 2025.