LG unveiled its ThinQ brand at the close of 2017 – pitching it as bringing ‘AI’ to not only fridges and other electronic devices and services, but its smart TV output too. And now a couple of months later, we finally have the details of exactly how much it will cost to have the Korean manufacturer’s “next frontier in technology†in our homes.
Nine newly developed LG “AI-enabled” OLED TVs will be going on sale in the US this month, including its 77-in Signature W8 TV.
For those thinking "that’s all well and good, but what exactly does 'AI-enabled' mean?," back in December, LG stated AI-dedicated sub-brand, ‘ThinQ’, will benefit from “features developed with deep learning techniques” allowing devices to communicate with each other.
It has since focused on emphasising to homeowners the value of an open platform AI of ThinQ devices as something which can make the home “your personal assistant, supported by the LG WebOS Smart TV platform to process hundreds of voice commands.”
The Signature W8 series will be available in 65- and 77-in versions and be priced at $7,000 and $15,000 respectively, from US suppliers.
The accompanying E8 series will come in two sizes, 55-ins and 65-ins, and will set you back $3,500 and $4,500.
Rounding out the announcement is the C8 Series, to be available in 55-, 65- and 77-in models, priced at $2,500, $3,500 and $9,000.
The pricing and availability of the B8 series is currently elusive, and will be confirmed at a later date by LG.
LG also stated that its Super UHD TV line-up (also featuring ThinQ technology) will be bolstered with the 65-in SK9500 model ($2,700), the 55- or 65-in SK9000 ($1,600 and $2,200) and the SK8000, available in 49-, 55-,65- and 75-in models, ranging from $1,000 to $2,700 in price.
All of the announced TVs will be rolled out between March and May 2018 in the US, with LG keeping customers waiting for the 65-in version of its showpiece, the W8, until July.