Samsung has kicked off the annual IFA tech show in Berlin with — surprise, surprise — an AI-infused product. The South Korean tech giant is taking a breather from Galaxy AI on the best Samsung phones to remind us it also makes home appliances. In this case, the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo. This is the newest flagship washer-dryer, which was revealed at the conference last year. But now Samsung has given us a launch date. Sorta.
The appliance will be available to purchase in Europe in "Q4 2024" with, presumably, other markets to follow soon thereafter. As for how AI comes into play, Samsung says the on-board algorithms will detect laundry load, the types of materials present and even how soiled they are. It then optimizes both the washing and the drying cycle for each load.
According to Samsung, this means the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo saves up to 20% more power than regular dumb washing machines labeled with an A grade. Furthermore, a smart heat pump inside the device "continuously recycles hot air and optimizes heat transfer by reheating and dehumidifying the hot air through the heat exchanger." As a result, the company claims drying time is reduced by up to 60% with an energy consumption cut of up to 75%.
More than just washing clothes
The appliance is controlled by a 7-inch LCD touchscreen on the front, which delivers information about the laundry, including cycle details, energy consumption and the remaining amount of detergent. Outside of showing information about your laundry, it can also act as a central control hub for the entire home.
"Users have clear view of the 3D Map View, which shows all connected appliances within the home and enables users to seamlessly monitor and control them," Samsung explained in a blog post. "Users can check if the oven is on, or get the robot vacuum cleaner to start cleaning, all while they are in the laundry room."
And the icing on the AI cake is that it'll work with Samsung Bixby. Remember Bixby? Earlier this year, Samsung claimed its oft-forgotten virtual assistant would get "smarter in the future” once it started using generative AI and large language models to "offer a more natural voice-based interface."
Unfortunately, Samsung has yet to reveal the pricing for the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo, only noting that it "will be rolled out across various European markets beginning Q4 2024." And without knowing how much it'll cost, we can't give you a steer on whether this AI-powered clothes cleaner is likely to make it onto our list of best washing machines just yet. But it's certainly an indicator of where the industry is going, and it won't be a surprise to see AI included in other home appliances in the coming years.
