LG Electronics, one of the world’s leading digital electronics manufacturers, has launched ‘the talking refrigerator’ as part of an aggressive assault on an increasingly technology savvy global market.
LG managers in Kenya say the “innovative and interactive kitchen product will make kitchen moments more enjoyable.”
“The new product has been developed to meet the modern woman’s needs for a conducive kitchen area complete with entertainment,” said Mr Woo Won Na, the head of LG’s liaison office in Nairobi.
“With the new fridge, a trip to the kitchen for a quick snack could turn into a day at the movies.”
The new side-by-side refrigerator, expected to hit the Kenya market soon, comes with a 13-inch TV with a liquid crystal display screen that can be operated by remote control.
Other features include compatible satellite and cable channels, video and DVD players.
“There’s also a powerful radio if you get tired of watching the box,” Na said in an interview.
Won Na said the high-tech fridge had been launched following a series of consumer surveys in Africa, Europe and the Middle East, which showed an emerging market for them.
“LG is a market leader in the big volume side-by-side refrigerator segment with 30 per cent market share in the world, and innovative products like LG’s new TV fridge demonstrate why,” said Na.
LG’s interactive TV fridge is one of two large-size, side-by-side refrigerators that offer huge capacity, aesthetic styling, hygiene and a number functionalities. Na said the products are treated with silver ions to beat bacteria, fungi and moulds.
He added: “The interiors also boast large cooling compartments, and the side-by-side door configuration, supporting wide drawers and adjustable shelves that allow easier storage of large food platters.
A segmented freezer drawer at the base of the refrigerators increases both convenience and storage capacity, as it slides out to facilitate loading from the side.”
The TV fridge, he said, has a capacity of 29 cubic feet.
With the three door side-by-side refrigerator, it’s possible to store food in any shape or size, as it features extra wide storage space in the form of adjustable bins and drawers and five digital sensors for accurate temperature controls to ensure food preservation and freshness.
Besides, the fridge has a tilting freezer door for easy access to inner drawers.
According to a German-based research bureau, GfK, LG leads in the side-by-side refrigerator category with a 29 per cent market share in the Africa and the Middle East.
In terms of overall refrigerator unit sales in the two regions, the Korean company leads with 15.4 per cent market share over its nearest rival at 10.6 per cent, says GfK.
“We are already a regional market leader in refrigerators and with the introduction of this new series, we will further consolidate our position,” said Na.
He said LG is committed to bringing the future of living standards to the Middle East and Africa, adding that recent studies show that by the end of this year, over 100 million homes are expected to be using networked digital appliances “and we believe a large proportion of those will be in the Middle East and Africa.”
Na added that such devices in homes, including home-networked appliances, would open up new markets for manufacturers, service companies, telecommunications and other organisations to offer expanded services to customers.
He said the latest fridge is a result of its continuous investment in research and development.
The company, Na said, will be increasing investments every year to hit $3.38 billion in 2007 and over $5.1 billion in 2010.
The latest consolidated release from LG is expected to cause a sensation in a market dominated by separate electronic appliances.
“The traditional division of labour in the home has placed women in the kitchen, but a fridge offering great multimedia entertainment might tempt greater numbers of men to accept a more equitable share of household responsibilities.”
From All Africa