Mon Sep 16 16:20:29 UTC 2024: ## LG Makes Big Push into Smart Home with ThinQ ON Hub and Open Platform

**Berlin, Germany -** LG, known for its appliances and electronics, is stepping up its game in the smart home market. The company announced its new ThinQ ON hub, an ambitious multi-protocol device that leverages artificial intelligence and opens up its platform to more smart home devices. This marks a significant departure from LG’s previous focus solely on controlling its own products.

The ThinQ ON hub, arriving in the US and Europe next year, boasts connectivity through Matter, Thread, Zigbee, and Wi-Fi. It also features a built-in AI Agent voice assistant that utilizes LG’s “Affectionate Intelligence” to learn user preferences and control connected devices. The company envisions the AI Agent autonomously adjusting home settings based on user habits and environmental conditions.

LG’s new strategy revolves around an open platform, allowing users to integrate LG appliances into their existing smart home ecosystems. This includes supporting integration with devices from manufacturers like Aqara, Philips Hue, Ecobee, and Sonos. Additionally, LG will open its APIs to other platforms, allowing them to control LG appliances. This move could potentially lead to LG appliances working within platforms like Home Assistant and Samsung’s SmartThings.

The ThinQ ON hub features a powerful operating system ported from Athom’s Homey OS, a well-established smart home platform. With this acquisition, LG gains access to Homey’s extensive library of integrations, further expanding the reach of its new hub.

LG’s ambitious plan to become a major player in the smart home market comes with some questions. While the company is opening its doors to other platforms, it remains unclear whether LG appliances will be officially certified as Matter devices. Additionally, the ambitious AI Agent and its ability to control the home autonomously raise concerns about privacy and potential limitations.

Despite these uncertainties, LG’s move into the open smart home platform is a significant development. The company’s commitment to integrating its appliances with existing ecosystems could finally bridge the gap between individual appliances and the larger smart home landscape. Only time will tell if LG can live up to its ambitious promises and become a dominant force in the smart home market.

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