ANALYSIS: SMART TECH Home Entertainment
LG’s QNED TV.
20 Who’s winning the Smart Home arms race?
From AI assistants to immersive entertainment, today’s smart devices don’t just connect homes, they enhance them. Steve May explores the latest breakthroughs defining smart home technology
consumers, even as AI is increasingly able to learn user habits, as well as automate lighting, heating, and entertainment systems, and even predict appliance failures.
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What began with smart thermostats has expanded into a connected ecosystem that now touches nearly every corner of modern living. But as smart tech matures, so too does consumer expectation. Customers are prioritising convenience, and increasingly, seeking entertainment experiences tailored to their lifestyles. Voice control has been one of the big winners in smart tech, so much so it’s a defacto feature on any products which fit into the Google, Apple and Amazon ecosystems.
he smart home revolution is no longer a novelty, it’s the new normal. Virtual assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit are taken for granted by
If you’re operating outside of those areas, traction is a little harder to gauge. Matter, developed by Google, Apple, Amazon, and the Zigbee Alliance, has yet to break through, but increasingly new product launches at least acknowledge Matter compatibility. It’s a re-assurance selling point, as the new standard aims to unify smart home devices under a single protocol. The ultimate idea is to eliminate compatibility issues and improve security with end-to-end encryption. Bixby isn’t known for its ability to converse, and if you’ve ever tried to use LG’s ThinQ smart tech, you’ll be left with fresh admiration for Alexa and Co. LG is leaning heavily into AI when it comes to usability, with mixed results. Its webOS platform now supports ThinQ smart gadgets, along with compatible Matter devices, and Google Home. If you want to use your TV to communicate with your smart LG washing machine or connected LG Air Purifier, things are looking up.
LG’s QNED TV.
Rolling out this year on LG’s OLED and QNED models is a new AI chatbot feature, part of the latest update of webOS. However I’ve found that any attempt to use it is an exercise in futility, so take care when demonstrating it on the shop floor. The AI chatbot is only able to provide a response to very specific instructions, making it, at best, a novelty. Samsung’s Tizen OS is a better option when it comes to smart home integration, thanks to the relative ubiquity of Smartthings devices. This year’s platform iteration provides a convenient Dashboard to monitor smart devices. The Tizen OS has been given a bit of a refresh, with a Daily Board that allows users to pin Notes to the screen for friends and family, as well as weather information. These are smart applications with genuine usability benefits.
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