BSH presented at this year’s IFA its innovative products and personalized services for the kitchen. Smartness is a protagonist: the digital platform Home Connect is currently available in 40 countries and 25 languages, and offers significantly greater convenience than simply the remote control of appliances. By using this interactive assistant, many kitchen tasks can be defined to meet users’ own preferences. Everything from a digital recipe search in the app and controlling a connected oven to prepare a selected dish, to choosing the dishwasher’s program and lighting in harmony with the atmosphere of the evening. Besides, BSH’s SystemMaster ensures added convenience: this new microprocessor turns BSH brand appliances into digital services platforms. Among other things, it helps BSH’s own customer service center to diagnose and fix equipment faults via remote maintenance. In addition, self-learning algorithms allow the development of new services that are more accurately tailored to consumers’ needs. SystemMaster represents solutions with which BSH can continue its journey from a manufacturer of analogue home appliances to a sector leader for digital services and personalized kitchen experiences.
As regards to the dish washing, BSH presented the new series of dishwashers. This entirely newly-developed series is a multi-brand platform for a range of different models – from basic to premium. All the dishwashers are fitted with SystemMaster, are Internet-capable, and thus can learn to adapt to consumers’ individual routines and receive regular system updates over-the-air. The appliances are extremely energy-saving due to zeolite drying, and offer many intelligent solutions such as a completely new interior layout with a third load deck for small kitchen utensils that enlarges the load compartment by up to 25%, or an innovative “glass zone” in which even high-value glasses can be safely put into the dishwasher. In addition, Siemens focuses on cookery-related innovations, with its presentation of the new “glassdraftAir” table-top cooling fan together with two new cooking hobs: “activeLight” with an interactive light matrix and “inductionAir Plus”. With the Series 6 washer-dryer, Bosch offers the opportunity to wash and dry up to 6 kg of laundry without interruption – and to do it using steam assistance, so clothes are wearable directly from the machine. The XXL fridge-freezer combination offers more space and the innovative “VitaFresh” freshness system ensures that the temperature in specific zones is held constant at 0° Celsius, so fresh foods such as fish or salad have longer shelf lives, and does it all with an A+++ energy efficiency rating.
Finally, BSH places great value on achieving an ecologically sustainable design for its entire value-added chain. This holds true both for the manufacture of the appliances and for the continuous improvement of their energy efficiency. The efforts to achieve a recycling economy initiated by BSH are also leading to a considerable overall reduction in the use of resources, in emissions and in energy consumption. As a clear statement of its own commitment to this, BSH will fully neutralize carbon dioxide emissions from its own sites worldwide by the end of 2020. This will make the development and fabrication of all BSH branded appliances climate-neutral from 2021 onwards.
Samsung at IFA
Samsung Electronics Co. on Wednesday unveiled a set of new home appliances and gadgets for the European consumers that highlight human-centered solutions amid the pandemic.
At the Life Unstoppable online event, Samsung introduced its latest innovations, from washing appliances to smartphones, with a goal of delivering “connected, seamless experiences” to consumers.
The South Korean tech giant usually showcases its new home appliance products in the second half at the IFA, Europe’s largest tech expo.
But this year, Samsung decided not to participate in the IFA due to the COVID-19 pandemic and instead hosted its own event that allows users to experience its latest products through an interactive virtual world
This year has seen us completely re-evaluate our relationship with technology, in a way that no one could have expected,” said Benjamin Braun, chief marketing officer at Samsung Europe. “At Samsung, we not only embrace these changes, but aim to stay one step ahead, already innovating with the future in mind.”
Hoping to ride on the pandemic-driven stay-at-home trend, Samsung unveiled a new home cinema projector, the Premiere, for the first time. The product’s high-end model uses triple laser technology to deliver 4K picture quality.
The Terrace, Samsung’s outdoor lifestyle TV that was first unveiled in the United States in May, made its European debut. The Terrace will be available in 55-, 65- and 75-inch models in Europe, according to the company.
For gamers, Samsung unveiled its new curved monitor, the Odyssey G5 series, offering more display options in addition to its Odyssey G9 and G7 products. The Odyssey G5, boasting 144Hz refresh rate, comes in 27-inch and 32-inch models.
Samsung also introduced laundry appliances with upgraded artificial intelligence (AI) solutions and refrigerators highlighting customization features.
Samsung hopes its Bespoke refrigerator range can deliver brisk sales in Europe. The Bespoke refrigerator is built under the company’s Project Prism, which aims to reflect consumers’ lifestyles and allows them to personalize the materials, colors, shapes and designs of the products.
When it comes to mobile devices, Samsung showcased the Galaxy Tab A7 tablet with a 10.4-inch screen and the Galaxy A42 5G smartphone with a 6.6-inch screen and quad-camera setup.
The Galaxy Fit 2 wristband with upgraded features for fitness tracking was also unveiled.
To better assist consumers who use multiple mobile gadgets, Samsung introduced the Wireless Charger Trio that can charge three devices all at once.
Samsung &LG new products
South Korea’s two tech giants — Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. — on Friday said they will release new home appliance products in Europe to boost sales in the region amid the pandemic.
Samsung said it will begin launching a new laundry appliance with upgraded artificial intelligence (AI) solutions and a new refrigerator highlighting customization features in major European markets, such as Britain, France and Germany, late this month.
The WW9800T washer cuts washing time by up to 50 percent and energy usage by 20 percent compared with its previous models, according to Samsung. Its latest washing machine also comes with EcoBubble technology, which maximizes the effectiveness of detergent by turning it into soft bubbles and allows for faster penetration into fabrics, Samsung said.
With its AI Control technology, Samsung said its new washer can automatically suggest the optimal wash cycle.
“AI Control eliminates the need for users to scroll through cycles to find the right one, or to input their individualized settings each time,” it said. “The AI Wash feature uses sensors to detect the laundry load’s weight and soilage, to determine the optimal amount of water and detergent to dispense.”
Samsung’s new RB7300 refrigerator will make its debut in Europe. The bottom-mount freezer (BMF) refrigerator boasts thinner interior walls, offering a larger internal capacity of 385 liters, 18 liters larger than the previous model, the company said.
Samsung’s Bespoke refrigerator range will also make its first appearance for European consumers. The product will be first sold in Nordic countries in October and will be available in other European nations over the next year.
The Bespoke refrigerator is built under the company’s Project Prism, which aims to reflect consumers’ lifestyles and allows them to personalize the materials, colors, shapes and designs of the products. The refrigerator has already been launched in other nations, including South Korea and China.
Samsung said its latest refrigerators and laundry lineup will be further explained at its “Life Unstoppable” virtual event Wednesday. The company will host the online event as a replacement for IFA 2020, Europe’s largest tech expo, which it decided to skip due to the pandemic.
LG said three new refrigerator models highlighting better hygienic and AI features will hit the shelves in Europe. Starting with Sweden next month, the refrigerators will be launched in more than 20 European countries by the first half of the next year, according to the company.
LG said its InstaView Door-in-Door refrigerator with UVnano utilizes ultraviolet LED light technology and can disinfect the water dispenser outlets once every hour to remove up to 99.9 percent of bacteria and germs.
The 569-liter refrigerator is also equipped with advanced technologies that can minimize temperature fluctuations and make entire fridge space cooler by distributing airflow from strategically placed vents, LG said. Its ice maker located in the freezer drawer can produce two-inch spherical ice balls.
LG’s updated Fridge and Freezer pair is comprised of a 386-liter fridge and a 324-liter freezer. They can be purchased separately, but consumers can buy both of them and connect them to look like a single refrigerator.
“They are designed to fit easily into standard kitchen cabinetry for a clean, minimalist look,” LG said. “Their flat door design and zero-clearance hinges are ideal for installing right next to a wall for a seamless, built-in appearance.”
Its latest InstaView ThinQ refrigerator boasts a consumer-centric AI platform, LG said.
Any food item placed inside or removed from the refrigerator is automatically tracked via its advanced vision recognition technology, LG said. The company’s AI technology also allows the refrigerator to offer meal suggestions after analyzing food items in the fridge and even inform other home appliances what to do.
“It can set a connected oven to the right cooking temperature based on the recipe and even choose the optimal wash cycle for the dishwasher based on the meal,” LG said.
Samsung and Hanssem
Samsung Electronics Co. on Sunday signed a partnership agreement with South Korea’s leading furniture maker Hanssem Co. to expand business opportunities amid the pandemic-driven stay-at-home trend.
Under the deal, Samsung will cooperate with Hanssem in the home interior remodeling business. The tech giant will provide its latest home appliances such as refrigerators and dishwashers that fit with Hanssem’s furniture in interior remodeling.
The two sides will also collaborate in the smart home solutions business and will share retail infrastructure, such as displaying products from each company at its stores.
The latest deal comes as Samsung seeks to become a lifestyle brand with customizable products amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lee Jae-seung, who heads digital appliances at Samsung, recently said the company is “recalibrating” its strategy in the era of the pandemic. He added that home has become more important than ever as people practice social distancing and that home appliances need to reflect the change.
The collaboration with Hanssem is expected to help Samsung launch more products under its Project Prism, which reflects consumers’ lifestyles and allows them to personalize the materials, colors, shapes and designs of products.
So far, the company has introduced refrigerators and laundry appliances under Project Prism.
Dishwasher of the Future from Bosch
The Dishwasher of the Future
BSH’s new generation of dishwashers is a milestone for connected home appliances and perfectly geared towards bringing added value to the kitchen.
Have you ever wondered how new products are made? How do you come up with all the big and small ideas that make our daily lives easier, safer or better? At BSH they have
developed a simple formula: We listen to what we are told.
Every year, we talk to countless consumers and ask them what they like about our appliances, what bothers them, and which household tasks are particularly annoying for them. And that’s exactly how we approached our new generation of dishwashers – with market research involving over 40,000 consumers. The result is the next big step in connected home appliances!
Digitization meets its master
In 2014, BSH laid the foundation for a connected home with the Home Connect App. Today, Home Connect is the largest digital ecosystem in the networked kitchen, launched in 40 countries, in 25 languages, and with many partners. But at this year’s IFA we are going one step further.
A new kind of microprocessor, the “SystemMaster”, is a milestone for connected appliances and a master of digital services. Among other things, it supports the company’s own factory customer service department in diagnosing and correcting appliance errors via remote maintenance. Self-learning algorithms also make it possible to develop new services that are tailored even more precisely to consumer needs. Matthias Ginthum, CMO of BSH Hausgeräte GmbH, explains it in a nutshell: “The SystemMaster opens up new possibilities for creativity and future services.
Thanks to this clever innovation, for the first time all appliances in the new generation of dishwashers, from the entry-level to the premium model, can be connected. “We call this new appliance generation our ‘dishwashers ahead of their time”, says Roland Hagenbucher, Managing Director Siemens Home Appliances Germany, and explains: “Through networking and updates, we are laying the foundation for it to remain state of the art for many years to come and thus always match the lifestyle of its owners. In this way, we are providing a little more security for the future in an unpredictable world.”
Time for your glassware to shine
Of course, the SystemMaster is not the sole innovation of the new dishwasher generation. The appliance itself knows how to make a sparkling performance – in the truest sense of the word. Take the new glassZone in Siemens’ dishwashers, for example, and think of it as a VIP zone for your most precious glasses: Six integrated jets clean them as thoroughly as they do delicately with a gentle, continuous water supply.
And if you are ever in a hurry, the Siemens dishwashers’ varioSpeed-on-demand function can save you time: Just press a button to accelerate the appliance by up to three times. Surprise guests will definitely not make you break a sweat any more.
From the dishwasher straight into the cupboard
Harald Friedrich, Managing Director Robert Bosch Hausgeräte GmbH, explains: “Our new appliances are fully connectable and benefit from the numerous Home Connect functions – for smart control from anywhere.” But the new dishwasher generation can do more than just go full throttle – it can also be as quiet as a whisper. The already very low noise level can be reduced to a minimum using the Silence on Demand function on Bosch appliances.
A third rack, offering around 25 percent more space, makes room for smaller dishes. And if “more dishes” automatically makes you think that you will have to dry more pieces when the dishwasher is done, we can put you at ease: “Bosch is the only company to offer zeolith drying, which even dries plastics so efficiently that you can put them straight into the cupboard,” says Harald Friedrich.
The latest innovations by Siemens
This year’s IFA is full of exciting innovations in the field of home appliances. We present highlights from the BSH brand Siemens.
The global Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted the world in many ways. Few things are as they were, but a few trends have only been amplified by lockdowns and home offices: for many people, the kitchen is the center of quality of life in their own homes. “Despite – or perhaps because of – Corona, around a third of all city dwellers would like to invest in their kitchen in the near future,” says Roland Hagenbucher, Managing Director of Siemens Home Appliances Germany.
It is no wonder then that the BSH brand Siemens has placed its focus on the topic “kitchen” for the IFA, which will take place in a virtual showroom in 2020. It is precisely in this field that Siemens can point to years of experience in smart technologies and stylish designs. And it is also precisely in these fields that Siemens is presenting a whole range of innovative and aesthetic new products, all with the aim of improving the quality of life for consumers.
The future of dishwashing
The first demonstration of this, is BSH’s new generation of dishwashers. This clever series was developed for both the Siemens and Bosch brands and is 100% connected from the entry-level model to the premium model. Automated programs allow the consumer to fully adjust the appliance to their needs. Using Home Connect, they can also speed up the washing cycle – no more frantic dishwashing when guests arrive early!
Of course, the new generation is also available in a wide range of different versions so that the dishwasher can be perfectly integrated into the kitchen. The result is full flexibility without sacrificing performance or appearance.
Showstopping cooking
Combining an elegant look with the latest innovation was also the goal of the glassdraftAir table fan. This slim glass panel sits behind the stove top and can be extended while cooking. The patented Guided-Air technology creates an air curtain behind the glass panel, which directly draws in fumes – even from cooking zones that are further away. This powerful extractor power, together with an integrated light show in the glass panel, sets the stage for showstopping cooking.
The perfect addition is the activeLight cooktop, upon which pots and pans can be placed flexibly thanks to the interactive light matrix. Of course, the cooktop and the table fan can be connected with each other, so that the power of the extractor fan can be controlled directly from the cooktop – a function which, by the way, is possible with all Siemens cooktops equipped with cookConnect.
Breathtaking design
Good design does not always have to be extravagant – it can also be clever solutions that make life easier for a lot of people. Just like the inductionAir Plus cooktop. This innovative cooktop with integrated extractor fan can be adapted to the most diverse architectural environments, thanks to a wide range of different sizes. So almost every household can enjoy a cooking experience without fumes. No wonder the cooktop has already won an iF Award and a Red Dot Design Award!
A coffee to round things off
The crowning glory for Siemens at IFA 2020 is the EQ.9 plus – a fully automatic coffee machine. This successful series is now available in two different designs: a chic chrome look, similar to typical Italian coffee machines, and a sophisticated dark-inox casing. There is also the new baristaMode, where the espresso or coffee can be adjusted to personal taste. “Especially in times of Corona, when people work from home a lot, I can enjoy coffee in my own home the way I love it,” says product designer Melanie Mager.
LG plans to introduce battery-powered air purifying face mask to the market
LG Electronics (LG) plans to give a new meaning to clean, personal air with the introduction of its PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier at IFA 2020.
LG say the ergonomic design fits snugly on the user’s face to minimise air leakage around the nose and chin. The design also makes it possible to wear the unit comfortably for hours on end. The efficient and lightweight 820mAh battery offers up to eight hours of operation in low mode and two hours on high.
Replaceable filters enable the mask to supply fresh, clean air indoor and out. With its Dual Fans and patented Respiratory Sensor, LG’s wearable air purifier allows users to take in clean, filtered air while the Respiratory Sensor detects the cycle and volume of the wearer’s breath and adjusts the dual three-speed fans accordingly. The fans automatically speed up to assist air intake and slow down to reduce resistance when exhaling to make breathing effortless.
LG’s personal air solution comes with a case that helps maintain hygiene between uses. Equipped with UV-LED lights that kills harmful germs, the one-of-a-kind case can even charge the mask and sends a notification to the LG ThinQ mobile app (Android/iOS) when the filters need to be replaced for peak performance. And because every component of LG PuriCare Wearable – from the filters to the ear straps – is replaceable and recyclable, it is seen as an environmentally responsible solution as well.
The Wearable Air Purifier will be available starting in the fourth quarter in select markets.
Midea net profit down 8.3 pct in H1
Midea Group, a leading Chinese home appliance manufacturer, reported declines in both revenue and net profit in the first half of 2020 (H1) as the COVID-19 epidemic hit its business.
Net profit attributable to its shareholders totaled 13.9 billion yuan (about 2 billion U.S. dollars) in the January-June period, down 8.29 percent year on year, Midea said in its interim financial report filed with the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.
During the six months, the company generated total revenue of 139.7 billion yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 9.47 percent, according to the interim report.
Management change in AB Electrolux
Electrolux today announced that Jan Brockmann, Chief Operations Officer and Executive Vice President of AB Electrolux, has decided to resign from his position to pursue an external opportunity.
Jan Brockmann will remain with the company until September 30, 2020. The succession planning has been initiated.
“I want to thank Jan for many important contributions during his 10 years with Electrolux. During his tenure, with a strong focus on developing a global approach to modularization and automation, Global Operations have driven outstanding efficiency, product quality and innovation at Electrolux,” said Jonas Samuelson, President and CEO of the Electrolux Group.
Jan Brockmann joined Electrolux in 2010 as Head of R&D Major Appliances and has been part of the Group’s management team since 2011, first as Chief Technology Officer and since 2015 in his current role.
NEW SMEG SLATE GREY / KETTLE TOASTER
https://www.smeguk.com/news/2020/slate-grey-breakfast-set.html
Smeg announce the addition of a sleek new finish to its KLF03 kettle and TSF01 toaster, a rich and elegant Slate Grey hue. This smart new shade joins Smeg’s extensive colour range, which already includes bold bright, fun pastels and opulent metallics.
Whether you are looking to create a focal point within your kitchen or introduce an industrial style to your space, slate grey is so versatile.
