Samsung Appliances 2018: Voice Controlled Home

One of the most exciting parts of CES 2018 was really seeing that the future is practically here. It's one thing to watch movies or shows in which technology is synced and voice controls everything. It's another to actually see that in an applicable situation and that it's not too far off. With the new line of appliances from Samsung in 2018 we're starting to see that initial voice integration and push toward harmonious syncing. You could chat to your washing machine and then the oven could heat to a specific recipe. The TVs are doing something similar where it knows people within shows or even what they're wearing and can present the option to instantly buy the clothing item. It's an interesting advancement and to see that become something that's standard across the home feels like the future.

I'll now jump into what's available in this coming year and you can get an idea of how things are changing. I mean, I was ecstatic a few years back when we got ice that comes out of our fridge. That seems almost ancient now. To get things going there's the "Family Hub" which helps streamline food management and keep the household running smoothly. At the heart of this is Bixby, Samsung's AI assistant and one that's always ready to help you start a day. The AI knows each person by voice and is able to create a personalized schedule for them including details such as events, the weather or news. To build on Bixby, Samsung has pledged that all of their devices will support the assistant by 2020. If you're out and about anyone can write/draw messages or leave voice recordings on the fridge that can be access from support devices or vice versa. It's an easy way to let everyone know what's happening or whether a certain type of food is needed. You can also scan your food items into the fridge and the hub app can provide recipe suggestions based on what's available as well as based on dietary constraints.

A final and exciting aspect is support for the growing SmartThings IoT platform where multiple devices can be controlled through the app so you could possibly adjust things such as the thermostat from the fridge. This latest Family Hub is set to be available starting Spring 2018, a solid step towards the future and what's possible for integration.

On the washing clothes side of things the WW6850N washing machine featuring revolutionary QuickDrive technology is going to be available in 2018. It's not quite as advanced as the Smart Hub system, but from the demo experiences I was able to see at the show it's only a couple years out. Not to say it doesn't have the integration, it's just not quite as crazy instead working on making a constant part of life smoother. This new model which is a 24” compact washer cleans laundry up to 35% faster than the current Samsung options. The washer's innovative performance starts with QuickDrive technology which features a large main drum and a back plate that run independently of one another. The dynamic action this produces washes clothes in four ways; up and down, and back and forth. The model is also IoT-ready and compatible with Samsung’s SmartThings ecosystem. There's a laundry recipe, planner and a health wizard. Each perform different tasks based on fabrics or styles to make sure everything is efficiently washed.

From the heart of the house to the many appliances that help a household run smoothly, Samsung is presenting some really interesting advancements to help make a smarter world. The appliances are already rather advanced with what they offer and eventually all of the smart systems will be in complete sync with voice and easy digital access. The future really does start just from these initial devices.

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