On the first day of the Google I/O conference yesterday, LG Electronics announced a new line-up of smart kitchen equipment that is fully compatible with the Google Assistant on Google Home. Consumers will be able to access all of the features of Google Assistant through the appliances with a minimum of effort. Song Dae-Hyun, president of LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solutions Company said “Our partnership with Google demonstrates just how easy it is to smart-enable one’s home with friendly, approachable products.” The compatible devices are part of the LG Signature range of appliances. There was an on-stage demonstration of one of the new products, an air purifier which connects to Google Home and can be controlled easily and conveniently with voice commands and can provide users with spoken updates and information about the quality of the air.
LG Signature is the name given to the company’s most technologically-advanced products. The new range includes a wide variety of kitchen products and aims to simplify the process of connecting a smart home, allowing users to be able to access the full range of smart features on them with ease. All the new appliances, which include a washing machine, refrigerator, air conditioner and a range of ovens, can be controlled by simple voice commands through the Google Home device. Users will be able to perform tasks such as adjusting the thermostat on their air conditioner, checking the status of the cycle on the washing machine, and tell their refrigerator to make more ice with simple spoken commands anywhere in the range of a Google Home device. Other devices which will offer full connectivity to Google Home include a robotic vacuum cleaner, a dehumidifier, and a dishwasher.
The electronics giant, who are based in Seoul, South Korea, say that compatibility with Google Home will begin to roll out this month in the United States to all of the electronics in their smart Signature range. Dates for other countries have not been confirmed yet, with LG saying that the dates will be confirmed locally when they are ready to roll it out. The convenience of these devices does not come cheap, however; consumers can expect to pay around $8,500 for the Signature refrigerator, while the Signature washer/dryer comes with a hefty $4,888 price tag.
