"Evolving with Use"... LG Opens Era of Customer-Customized 'UP Appliances'

LG ThinQ App Continues to Provide Customized Upgrades
Enhancing 'Customer Experience' by Upgrading Both Software and Hardware
Launching About 20 New Smart Appliance Product Lines This Year and Expanding Lineup
Operating a Dedicated Team of Around 100 Members and Continuously Expanding Eco-Friendly Features

LG Electronics H&A Business Division Vice President Ryu Jae-cheol is introducing the continuously evolving 'UP Appliances' through ongoing upgrades. (Photo by LG Electronics)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hye-young] LG Electronics is launching 'UP Appliances,' which evolve into customer-tailored products through continuous upgrades, and is embarking on full-scale market penetration. The strategy aims to revolutionize the past usage pattern of home appliances that became outdated after purchase by providing a new experience that upgrades both software and hardware.

On the 25th, LG Electronics declared its commitment to creating a new home appliance ecosystem that surpasses existing limits under the slogan "LG UP Appliances that keep getting better tailored to you." This year, LG Electronics plans to introduce UP Appliance new products across about 20 product lines, including washing machines, dryers, WashTower, ice water purifier refrigerators, dishwashers, Whisen Tower, Aero Tower, air purifiers, and HomeBrew, steadily expanding the lineup.

At an online briefing, Ryu Jae-cheol, Vice President and Head of LG Electronics H&A Business Division, said, "UP Appliances are appliances that constantly evolve to make my life more convenient and understand me more deeply the more I use them, tailoring themselves to me. They will present a new paradigm beyond the limitation of appliances becoming outdated the moment they are purchased."

Home Appliances Also 'Upgrade'... Focusing Efforts on Enhancing Customer Experience through Innovation

At the center connecting customers and UP Appliances is LG ThinQ, a smart home platform. Customers can upgrade their UP Appliances with a single click through the 'UP Appliance Center' in the LG ThinQ app.

For example, to meet customers' needs for adjusting drying conditions according to weather or fabric, LG provides a software upgrade for the Tromm Dryer Objet Collection, a UP Appliance. Through the upgrade, customers can finely adjust the drying level from the previous 5 steps to 13 steps. Also, noting the increase in households with pets, LG plans to introduce UP Appliances with enhanced pet care functions in the Tromm Washing Machine and Dryer Objet Collection and the PuriCare 360° Air Purifier.

To ensure the expandability of UP Appliances, LG Electronics designs them to allow upgrades of both software and hardware, offering a personalized appliance experience that evolves the more it is used. This strategy aligns with the vision presented earlier this year by LG Electronics CEO Cho Joo-wan, who stated, "Our goal is to continuously provide F·U·N (First·Unique·New) experiences to impress customers."

To pursue market penetration through UP Appliances, LG Electronics is forming a dedicated team of about 100 people for service planning, operation, and development. Additionally, to reflect customer feedback in products, LG operates a 1:1 suggestion feature within the 'UP Appliance Center' of the LG ThinQ app.

Alongside this, efforts are underway to establish UP Appliances as eco-friendly products that carefully consider not only functionality and design but also environmental impact. LG Electronics plans to provide upgraded operation courses that reduce energy consumption across UP Appliances and develop washing courses and filters that drastically reduce microplastic emissions from washing machines. Through this, LG Electronics expects to contribute to ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) management by reducing carbon emissions and practicing energy saving and environmental protection.

LG Electronics H&A Business Division Vice President Ryu Jae-cheol is introducing the continuously evolving 'UP Appliances' through ongoing upgrades at an online briefing held on the 25th. (Photo by LG Electronics)

Vice President Ryu stated, "Our goal is to create a new communication with customers through UP Appliances, providing a product experience that always feels new, becomes more convenient the more it is used, and gets smarter. Basically, we are considering UP Appliance development for all future products connected to the cloud and will continue research and development to expand customer experience and value."

Regarding the forecast that LG Electronics' home appliance performance last year will surpass Whirlpool for the first time ever to become 'No. 1 worldwide,' Vice President Ryu said, "We expect this to be the first year we surpass Whirlpool in terms of sales scale. We will continue to create new growth engines to maintain the top position by trying innovations and differentiated products and services such as UP Appliances."