The electronics manufacturer LG has announced that a new smart fridge is now available to the South African market. In keeping with the trend towards the Internet of Things, LG’s InstaView forms a part of a range of appliances that aim to turn your house into a smart home.
The InstaView features cameras on the inside that scans the contents of the fridge and recommends recipes based on the available ingredients. A smartphone app allows you to control the fridge from anywhere in the world, but it is doubtful whether this would actually be necessary, as the fridge automatically adjusts the inside temperature of the fridge based on the outside temperature, saving electricity in the process.
According to research done by LG, the average family opens their fridge 79 times a day, leading to air loss. Not with the InstaView, though – embedded into the right door is a translucent window. Knocking on the door activates a light on the inside, which allows you to see the contents of the fridge without having to open the door.
Running out of essential items is a thing of the past with the InstaView, as it tells you when you are running low on things like milk and, thanks to a partnership with Amazon, will even order on your behalf before you realise you’re about to run out of certain items. It remains to be seen how this functionality will work in South Africa.
Of course, the fridge also features an ice crusher, as well as a filter that gets rid of bacteria and bad odours.
Prices for the LG InstaView range from R30 000 for the entry-level model, to R110 000 for the top-of-the-range model.
The Internet of Things hasn’t quite caught on in South Africa yet, but the introduction of appliances like the InstaView are sure to change this, as more people start to live in homes that are smart and connected. What do you think? Would you buy a fridge that can order items on your behalf? Let us know in the comments below.
Have a look at a video about the LG InstaView below.