LG Electronics announced on the 26th that it will officially launch the AI home platform "LG ThinQ AI," which upgrades AI (artificial intelligence) home appliances or analyzes products and prevents failures, in the European market starting next month.
LG Electronics plans to expand the ThinQ AI platform, currently offered in Korea and the United States, sequentially into Europe, Asia, and Latin America. ThinQ AI consists of two core services: "ThinQ Up," which continuously upgrades existing appliances with new AI features, and "ThinQ Care," which allows easy management of product conditions such as malfunctions or abnormal signs.
"ThinQ Up" is a service that helps continuously upgrade necessary features after purchasing an appliance. For example, a user with a pet can add a pet care feature that removes allergens from the washer and dryer through a software upgrade. Also, for those frequently wearing thin materials in summer, an upgrade can finely adjust the drying level from the existing 5 levels to 13 levels, allowing drying tailored to the fabric.
Since its launch in 2022, ThinQ Up has expanded supported products and features in Korea and North America, surpassing a cumulative download of 20 million as of the first half of this year. The number of connected appliances linked to the ThinQ app has increased by over 40% compared to the previous year.
"ThinQ Care" service monitors energy consumption and analyzes malfunctions or abnormal signs in real-time using AI, providing advance notifications to customers. It alerts users via smartphone notifications if it detects abnormal refrigerator temperatures or slightly open doors. Additionally, without a service engineer's visit, users can check usage history through the ThinQ AI app for self-service assistance or receive quick AS application guidance.
In addition, various convenience features will be included, such as ▲"Smart Routine," which adjusts appliances and IoT devices to desired settings all at once according to lifestyle patterns, ▲"Smart Pairing," which helps customized operation by transmitting washing machine usage data to dryers, and ▲"AI Recipe," which automatically provides cooking instructions by inputting food images.
Considering that preferences and usage environments for appliances differ by country, LG Electronics will showcase customized features reflecting customer feedback in Europe. In hot weather conditions like Spain, the "Fresh Keeper" feature will be useful, allowing for remote additional rinsing to prevent clothes left in the washer from wrinkling or developing odors after washing is complete, or periodically rotating the drum to minimize wrinkles.
In Germany and France, where there is high concern about environmental issues, LG Electronics plans to introduce features such as an "AI Energy Saving Mode" that provides energy-saving recommendations based on the analysis of customers' primary usage times of refrigerators and when they are out.
LG Electronics has collected about 30,000 user ideas through the "UP Appliance Idea Suggestions" in the ThinQ app. For instance, the "Water Purity Quantity Dispensing 2.0" feature in actual refrigerators was upgraded to reflect customer feedback requesting, "Please allow for additional settings for the dispensing capacity beyond the specified amount."
Meanwhile, LG Electronics plans to allow visitors to experience continuously evolving appliances through ThinQ AI at "IFA 2025," the largest electronics exhibition in Europe, starting on the 5th of next month.
Ryu Jae-cheol, the head of LG Electronics' Home Appliance Business Unit, said, "We will continually upgrade and manage the products so that customers can use them without discomfort after purchase, providing an ever-evolving AI appliance experience."