Samsung, LG seek to lead smart home industry

Seen are Samsung Electronics’ super ultra-high-definition (SUHD) television and Internet of Things (IoT) devices developed by SmartThings. Samsung said Tuesday it will unveil televisions converged with its Smart Home Hub platform at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, next week. / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics

By Lee Min-hyung

Televisions equipped with smart home platforms will be one of the key themes at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

With the CES coming soon, local electronics giants are offering a glimpse of what they are going to showcase at the four-day technology fair.

Samsung Electronics said Tuesday that it will unveil super ultra-high-definition (SUHD) televisions converged with its Smart Home Hub platform, allowing users to control and monitor other Internet of Things (IoT) devices at home.

The move reflects its strong drive to build a TV-oriented smart home platform. The company said it has teamed up with U.S.-based software company, SmartThings, to incorporate the home platform into its new TVs to be unveiled at the CES next month.

This comes as the company is seeking to find new revenue channels by increasing its presence in relatively-unsaturated markets which include the IoT and the smart home-related business.

At CES 2015, Yoon Boo-keun, chief of the company’s appliance and IoT business, delivered a keynote speech on the infinite possibilities of the IoT. This year, Samsung SDS President Hong Won-pyo will give a speech on how far the IoT has penetrated into people’s lives. Expectations are that Hong will show Samsung’s latest feats on the IoT, which include the smart home platform.

“Samsung smart TVs will be the first IoT-ready TVs next year,” said Kim Hyun-seok, president of the company’s visual display division. “The era of the smart home will arrive in the near future.”

LG Electronics is also seeking to gain an upper hand in their smart home-converged TV business at the upcoming tech fair. Last week, the company unveiled Web OS 3.0, the company’s latest version of its operating system for television, allowing users to control other electronics devices such as their refrigerator, air-conditioner or robot cleaner while watching TV. The company said its new TVs with Web OS 3.0 enable users to perform multiple tasks at home, and monitor electricity consumption of other IoT devices.

LG Electronics has been teaming up with LG Group’s telecom affiliate, LG Uplus, in building the home IoT platform in a move to find a new profit booster.

Jo Seong-jin, president of LG Electronics’ home appliance and air solution division, previously said the company is adopting a near field communication (NFC) technology for its new electronics products, so the company can connect each device wirelessly.

“We are going to launch a new system to connect the kitchen, living and laundry rooms by March 2016,” he said.