Samsung and LG go head-to-head with AI-powered fridges that recognize food
Get ready for a smart fridge showdown at CES 2020, as both Samsung and LG will be unveiling fridges with additional artificial intelligence capabilities.
09/01/2022
Get ready for a smart fridge showdown at CES 2020, as both Samsung and LG will unveil fridges with additional AI capabilities this year. Samsung's latest edition of its Family Hub fridge and LG's second-generation InstaView ThinQ fridge both feature AI-equipped cameras that can identify food. The idea is that the cameras can scan what's inside and let users know which items they're missing, and even make meal suggestions based on what ingredients they still have.
Samsung's
Family The Hub Smart Fridge
was first unveiled at CES 2016, and since then the company has rolled out
updated iterations
with Bixby support, SmartThings integration, and AKG speakers. The latest edition adds software upgrades to enable AI image recognition in its View Inside cameras.
What will be the last fridge standing?
Cameras used to allow users to see what was in their fridge from their smartphones, a useful feature if you're out shopping and can't remember what you need to buy. supply you. With AI-enabled updates, Family Hub is supposed to make these recommendations for you alone, identifying the ingredients you're missing. Although it remains to be seen how well image recognition will work - for example, how will it handle ingredients stored in Tupperware jars?
The software upgrades also include better meal planning using Whisk, a food tech startup Samsung acquired last year. Whisk lets users plan meals for up to a week, then create smart shopping lists using ingredients that apply to multiple recipes.
Finally, the massive built-in touchscreen that can be used as a virtual pinboard can now support video clips, as well as mirror content from Samsung TVs and phones. This means you can watch vertical videos like IGTV on your Samsung fridge, as God intended.
Samsung's Family Hub fridge is available in silver (shown here) and black.
Picture: Samsung< /p>
LG introduces two models of its InstaView refrigerators, both featuring a 22-inch screen that can turn transparent to allow users to see what's inside without opening the door and letting cold air out . There's the AI-equipped InstaView ThinQ and the InstaView with Craft Ice, which makes two-inch spherical ice balls. These are supposed to melt slower than regular ice, if that's a problem you have. the
InstaView with Craft Ice
was launched in the United States last year, but will now be available in more markets.
There is no pricing information yet, but based on the prices of previous refrigerator models from LG and Samsung, customers can expect prices to range from $4,500 to $6,000. . Samsung says its Family Hub updates will be available in the spring.
I'm not opposed to the idea of a huge Wi-Fi-connected touchscreen on a fridge - in fact, it seems like a really useful way to look up recipes or display cute photos and videos. I'm skeptical of the AI's ability to identify different ingredients, and whether using a computer to see what items you're missing is really better than just peeking for yourself.