LG Electronics stated on Wednesday that it has acquired an 80% stake in Dutch sensible residence platform agency Athom, with the remaining 20% to be purchased within the subsequent three years.
The South Korean residence equipment maker stated it plans to combine Athom’s Homey platform, which hyperlinks home equipment, sensors, and light-weight units, with its personal generative AI-enabled LG ThinQ platform.
LG gives all kinds of {hardware} for the house, together with TVs, washing machines, and fridges. Since launching its webOS TV platform in 2021, the corporate has been eager to capitalize on this extensive portfolio by connecting these units by means of software program in a bid to seek out income streams exterior of {hardware} gross sales. One in every of its newest pushes is free ad-supported streaming channels supplied on its TVs.
The acquisition of Athom reveals that LG can be exploring software-based enterprise fashions. By having the AI-enabled LG ThinQ platform hook up with extra units, LG is attempting to see if it could actually generate income by driving the current AI increase.