With new and improved features.
At its Regional Forum in Singapore last week, Samsung highlighted its Family Hub 2.0 and what added features and benefits consumers can expect.
Samsung head of product for home appliances, Mike Lilly said, “Last year we launched Family Hub 1.0 at the top end of our refrigerator range, and in the early half of this year we will be launching Family Hub 2.0. In terms of refrigerator technology, it is the best we offer thanks to the connected screen.”
“The biggest development for us, in terms of Family Hub, is our partnership with Woolworths which allows consumers to access online shopping direct from the refrigerator, menu options and depending on what is chosen, populate the items that they need to order.
“The key features on the Family Hub 1.0 include the family calendar, screen mirroring capability, the on-board speaker and ability to connect with wireless Bluetooth speakers, and the food management system with three cameras to view the refrigerator from a mobile device.
“Now Family Hub 2.0, to be launched in Q3 2017, enables users to communicate with the refrigerator through voice control. For example, “Hi, Samsung. What’s the weather today?”. We have developed this feature because most of the time when someone is in the kitchen, their hands are dirty and they do not necessarily want to activate the touch screen.
“The recipe app now can be enlarged so if you are working some distance away from the refrigerator, it is easy to see. Alternatively, the refrigerator can read out the recipe. There is also the ability to share up to five calendars and family members can create their own profiles using avatars or their own personal pictures.
“The smart home is still work in progress for us. But the smart home app on the refrigerator allows users to add Samsung devices, such as their air-conditioner, robotic vacuum and washing machine, which can then be controlled on the Samsung Family Hub.
“What we have learnt from Family Hub 1.0 is the importance of interaction on the shop floor so it needs to be connected to Wi-Fi and be a working demonstration,” Lilly said.