We’re big fans of smart home tech here at eTeknix, and having recently invested in WiFi connected lighting, Amazon Alexa and various voice controlled heating technologies myself, I’m eager to see more tech like this in my home. However, the latest fridge ranges from LG may be going a little too far, even if they do exhibit some pretty cool tech.
During CES, the company said that many of their new home appliances would feature “advanced Wi-Fi connectivity” and that’s great for the smart home, but do we really need a smarter fridge? The Smart Instaview Refridgerator comes powered by webOS, with built-in Amazon Alexa, a 29-inch 1080P touchscreen, built-in cameras and a smart tagging feature, to name but a few features; oh and it also keeps food cold.
“In addition to the services provided by Amazon, the LG Smart InstaView refrigerator offers a variety of other convenience-enhancing features. The Smart Tag menu allows users to add stickers and tags on the screen to indicate which foods are stored as well as the ability to input the expiration date of each item, so the refrigerator can issue reminders when foods near expiration. Family members can set up memos for each other and create to-do lists that display on the screen. To check inside the refrigerator remotely, a 2.0 megapixel panoramic super-wide-lens camera captures images of the interior from a variety of different angles which are accessible via smartphone, a must-have feature for anyone who would like to see what’s at home while grocery shopping.”
Having Alexa in the kitchen is cool, but given the Echo Dot is only £50, often £40 on regular sales, it’s hardly something we can get elsewhere for less. The touchscreen sounds great, but how often do you need to check Amazon or Facebook while standing in front of your fridge? Given pretty much anyone who wants to be that connected will have a phone in their pocket. The HD screen on the fridge can be double tapped, making it go transparent and giving you a view of the fridge interior, which sounds way more expensive than opening the door to take a look. If opening the door, or going and tapping on the screen is too much trouble, built-in cameras allow you to check your fridge remotely, so you can see how much milk you have without having to get off the couch.
Is the tech in this fridge awesome? Absolutely, but will it really improve your quality of life at all? Probably not that much, and it’ll likely ruin your bank balance too, should LG ever reveal the price.
Do you want a smart fridge, or are you happy with ones that simply keep food cold when you close the door?
Looks like great functionality, but of course the price may not be worth it. Still, being able to see what’s inside without opening the fridge saves electricity, and being able to see it remotely can be useful. The rest also sounds pretty good. If the screen can also act as a recipe book, that would be helpful.
Of course, none of this is necessary, but do people really need smartphone functionality with them at all times? Yet everyone wants it. In the long run, if this kind of fridge becomes a commodity, we won’t be able to imagine how we managed with the primitive fridges that didn’t have advanced electronics.