We had hints of this some months ago but it would appear that Panasonic, the Japanese manufacturer, is set to launch a washing machine among other products that can be controlled by an Android app later this month in the Japan.
Shortly after the washing machine is introduced, presumably to the Japan only at this time as information is scarce on which markets this is being launched in, it will be followed up by the launch of a fridge freezer and air conditioning unit containing the same functionality. The app uses NFC (Near Field Communications) technology to send and (presumably) receive information from the appliances.
So far as we can gather this will also require an Internet connection to the appliances, we certainly have been informed that this is the case with the air conditioning unit which also allows the appliances to be controlled from outside your house. This may have a use on the air conditioning unit as it would allow you to, for example, switch it on when you left the office to cool or heat the room it was installed in but, we would question the values of this functionality on large domestic appliances. As has been seen by the numerous attempts to introduce this kind of technology into appliances, people seem not to want it or, be prepared to pay for it and most efforts have fallen by the wayside.
The press release from Panasonic (in full below) is pretty sketchy but, we cannot see any interoperability with any other system meaning that, like both Samsung and LG’s efforts to introduce the same sort of concept, unless you have a house full of products from only that one brand the appliances cannot communicate with one another. This is one of the key stumbling blocks as many people that would perhaps consider such a purchase are liable to have some form of pre-existing home automation already installed using communications protocols such as X10, CBUS, Z Wave and others. Protocols that these products up until now have not embraced meaning that they have little use in an automated home, the setting in which they are most suited to and, more importantly, buyers that might think about actually paying for them.
For people that don’t have any home automation, why pay the extra for something that, unless it is a part of structured system, is of little to no use to them beyond the first “isn’t that cool” moment.
Osaka, Japan – Panasonic Corporation today announced the significant expansion of its lineup of smart home appliances and the full-scale launch of cloud-based services in Japan dedicated to Panasonic’s home appliances ranging from white goods, such as air conditioners and refrigerators, to kitchen appliances and healthcare devices. Dubbed Panasonic Smart App and available from late September, the application will allow users of compatible Panasonic home appliances to remotely operate their appliances, program settings and see the energy savings of each appliance by using Android™ smartphones*1.
Panasonic has already been providing the cloud services for owners of the latest models of its 3-Star Bistro steam microwave oven and induction heating (IH) steam rice cooker which were launched in June 2012, enabling them to search for recipes and program cooking instructions using Android™ smartphones.
The new smart appliances which will be launched from September 25 in Japan will include Panasonic’s X Series room air conditioners, a top-mount refrigerator (NR-F557XV), drum-type washer-dryers (NA-VX8200/NA-VT8200), as well as healthcare products such as the EW-FA43 body composition monitor, the EW-NK63 calorie meter and EW-BW53 blood pressure monitor. The new air conditioners can also be operated with Apple’s iPhones™*2 as well as Android phones.
Panasonic’s smart solutions are designed to make the user’s everyday life more comfortable, convenient and energy efficient. Via the Panasonic Smart App, for example, users can control their air conditioners remotely from outside the home*3, check if the refrigerator is running efficiently, or set their preferred washing cycle using their smartphone. The new app also allows owners of the Panasonic healthcare products to create graphs tracking their weight and calories consumed by everyday activities among other things, making it easier to manage daily healthcare data. Furthermore, customer support such as checking device malfunctions will also be available.
The app will be available free of charge from the Club Panasonic website*4. By simply registering as a user of Panasonic smart appliances, users can enjoy the service. Because the Panasonic Smart App is a cloud service, users can download the most up-to-date information, such as recipes or device settings, from the server any time.
With these smart offerings, Panasonic proposes customers a more convenient, comfortable and enjoyable lifestyle.