Samsung, LG vie for home appliances leadership at online CES

By Baek Byung-yeul

Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are looking to vie for the leadership in home appliances at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which is scheduled to take place from Jan. 11 to 14, and, for the first time, will take place online.

The world's largest consumer technology trade show will be held in virtual space due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but the importance of the annual event is still valid for tech firms as they can demonstrate their new technologies and products to consumers from across the globe.

For this year's event, Samsung and LG are focusing on promoting new home appliances at a time when the demand for such gadgets is soaring with people worldwide being encouraged to stay at home to contain the spread of the pandemic.

Samsung Electronics said Tuesday that it will introduce its popular BESPOKE refrigerators at the trade show to launch the customizable home appliance brand in the U.S. market.

In the local market where the company is fiercely competing with arch rival LG, Samsung has hit a jack pot with the BESPOKE products that let customers customize their own configurations of material, color and size among other choice features.

“Since we launched the BESPOKE refrigerator domestically in June 2019, the product has gained immense popularity, accounting for over 60 percent of the country's entire refrigerator market in terms of sales last year,” the company said adding the BESPOKE refrigerators will hit the U.S. market in March.

Consumers in the U.S. can choose three door styles ― four doors, two doors and one door ― with eight different kinds of panel. Samsung also offers various color options such as silver, black and pink.

Samsung added that its four-door BESPOKE 4D Flex refrigerator will have a water purifier feature to meet the needs of U.S. consumers, who want to have a water dispenser in their refrigerators.

LG Electronics said it will be showcasing its new Objet Collection home appliance brand at the CES. Similar to the BESPOKE brand, the Objet Collection enables consumers to choose their own colors and materials for their home appliances. The company launched the Object Collection lineup including refrigerators, water purifiers, washing machines and steam closets on the domestic market last October.

With the Objet Collection appliances for kitchen, living room and laundry room, consumers can match various lifestyles and interior designs. After introducing the brand to global consumers at the CES trade fair, LG said it will gradually launch the Objet Collection in overseas markets.

“The LG Objet Collection products boast differentiated design that can match interiors as well as superb functionality as home appliances and we expect the brand will offer new experiences and value to overseas consumers as well,” Ry Jae-cheol, head of LG's H&A business division, said.