LG has been kicking off media day at CES with the first press conference of the show as long as I can remember, but this year the event was held virtually via a pre-recorded video message. The event began with video of John Legend singing “You Deserve it All” and introducing the “LG World Premiere” event, followed by William Cho, CEO, LG Electronics, welcoming everyone. Cho explained the world is slowly but surely regaining a sense of normalcy, but asked if we are going to return to the old way of doing things, or move forward to something better?
“LG continues to pursue innovation for a better life. To make life truly better for all those around you, and LG’s job is to support and empower you with LG’s innovations in all your journeys to obtain the better life you deserve,” Cho said. This includes better convenience, better safety and better entertainment, but all better in a different broader and fuller sense that is more personal, inclusive and sustainable.
Next, LG uses the event to tell a story with the theme of “The Better Life You Deserve,” sharing stories about innovation and progress and the role improved LG technology plays in that life. Throughout the video stories, different LG technologies were weaved in—TVs, computer, air purifiers, appliances—and how new LG features and technologies would be lifestyle improvements for a typical family, whether in the kitchen, watching TV, gaming, or on the go.
As a story segment ended, an LG executive gave a deeper dive into the different technologies presented.
Jinni Kim of LGs’ Home Entertainment Consumer Marketing Team talked about the upcoming 2022 OLED lineup that will feature sizes from 42 to 97 inches; LG’s most expansive line-up of sizes and brightest and finest picture quality ever. New features like Room-to-Room share will allow you to view cable or satellite content on a second TV with just a Wi-Fi connection.
New apps will take TV experience beyond TV, such as a LIVENow that allows sharing experiences with a watch together feature, nVidia GeForce Now cloud-based gaming with no additional hardware beyond controller requires, LG Fitness with a range of fitness videos, coaching and management, and, via a new collaboration with Independa, LG TV can now provide telehealth care services from alerts to consultations. Finally, a new optional Always Ready feature makes TVs ready for voice commands even when not in use.
Gail Conroy from LG’s Home Appliance Consumer Marketing Team, talked about LG’s artificial intelligence technology and how appliances will learn and deliver updates based on how they are used, along with features like scan-to-cook with bar codes that will automatically set cooking times and temps.
Updates and adjustments can be made via LG’s ThinQ app, such as customizing appliance alarms, downloading a new pet mode for your washing machine, adjusting refrigerator lighting brightness, and adding new airflow modes to the new LG PuriCare AeroTower. Updates will be coming at no charge to LG owners throughout 2022.
Laura Barbieri CSR & Community Relations discussed how LG will make the home a more caring place, both inside and out, with LG’s sustainability management aimed at benefitting both the environment and society. This will be done using three core values: [1] Making technology more inclusive and accessible for all; [2] delivering responsible products with eco-friendly materials and optimizing production process for future gens; [3] becoming leaders in home energy saving for cleaner and healthier life.
For example, LG OLED TVs have eco-minded production and don’t require a backlight to function. Thus, they use less components for higher resource efficiency and are more power efficient.
By 2030, LG’s goal is to reduce carbon emissions in manufacturing by 50 percent compared to 2017. With new eco-friendly packaging, such as that on the LG SoundBar Éclair, LG will introduce 600,000 tons of recycled plastic into manufacturing process and increase recovery of electronic waste to up to 8 million tons by 2030.
The vignette finished with a glimpse into the future with a “Better Life Tomorrow” section that introduced concepts LG is working on such as the OMNIPOD, a concept for a mobile living space environment; LG Cockpit, which will reinvent in-vehicle experience to enjoy all comforts of home wherever you are; the CLOI GuideBot and serve bot; and a Door-to-Door autonomous delivery robot with AI-powered driving technology. Finally, LG’s new Micro LED display will be available in homes later this year in screen sizes up to 136 inches in 4K HDR.
Cho concluded by saying vehicles will become mobile spaces; versatile, connected and intelligent, and an extension of your home experience. “That really is the essence of our LG ThinQ ecosystem. So, we can make our spaces limitless and our experiences seamless.”
