IT Furniture, Is Mass Popularization Premature?... Must Lower 'Specs' to Sell

Hanssem Mirror TV.
Photo by Hanssem

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] Is the popularization of high-performance smart furniture premature? Hanssem, which had been establishing itself as a leader in the home interior market based on the Internet of Things (IoT) by launching the 'Smart Motion Bed' in 2018 and the 'Mirror TV' last year, has discontinued the smart motion bed since the second half of last year and is now selling the Mirror TV only online.

Hanssem, the domestic leader in smart furniture, consecutively signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) related to home IoT products with LG Electronics and Google in 2016, and in September 2018, launched the voice-controlled bed 'Smart Motion Bed' linked with Google's artificial intelligence (AI) speaker and 'Google Home.'

The Smart Motion Bed was equipped with a sleep sensor embedded in the mattress that detects the user's condition and automatically adjusts the bed angle. When the user snored, the upper part of the mattress slowly rose to help alleviate snoring, and if an alarm time was set, the bed angle moved to the preset value at the wake-up time, also playing music to assist waking up.

It was a groundbreaking product as a 'bed' that also had functions of medical devices, clocks, and audio. However, this bed was discontinued about a year after its launch. Since the second half of 2019, Hanssem has been selling only the 'Motion Bed' without the 'smart' features and with significantly lowered specifications.

The downgraded Motion Bed only has the function to adjust the mattress angle with a remote control. The Smart Motion Bed had smart functions beyond what was really necessary for a bed, which made it expensive and led to consumer rejection.

In May last year, Hanssem signed an MOU with Shinsegae I&C, an IT service specialist company of the Shinsegae Group, for joint development and technical support of home IoT-related products and services, and in October, the two companies launched their first jointly developed home IoT product, the 'Hanssem Mirror TV.'

The Hanssem Mirror TV functions as a regular mirror when the TV is off, and becomes a TV when turned on. Equipped with 'Google Chromecast,' it connects to the TV via the smartphone 'Google Home' app, allowing users to enjoy content such as YouTube, Netflix, and Wavve on a large screen. It also has advanced features that allow voice control of the TV when connected to Google's AI speaker.

However, this product also failed to gain consumer preference. Despite efforts to reach customers through various sales channels including Shinsegae Group's integrated shopping mall SSG.com, only a very small number of consumers chose this product. Apart from its function as a decorative item, other functions were overshadowed by smartphones and tablet PCs with better features, and it is now sold only on some online malls.

While high-spec smart furniture fell out of favor with consumers, some companies have captured consumer interest by incorporating partial smart functions. Enex, which is strong in kitchen furniture, pursues a 'freely active kitchen' and has gained popularity as the most preferred kitchen furniture among housewives by adding several functions when replacing kitchen furniture.

Retractable Bluetooth Outlet.
Photo by Enex

The 'Touch Sensor Faucet,' which allows turning water on or off with a light touch on the faucet body, and the 'Sensor-type Water Saver,' which operates the faucet with foot movement detected by a motion sensor under the sink, have become essential choices for housewives. The Touch Sensor Faucet responds instantly within 0.1 seconds even when touched with bare hands and can also be used while wearing rubber gloves. The Sensor-type Water Saver allows water control without using hands while washing dishes or cooking.

Installing a 'Built-in Wireless Charger' on the countertop to charge smart devices in the kitchen, or the 'Retractable Bluetooth Outlet' that is hidden in the sink countertop and can be pulled out when needed, enables a cleaner interior and has now become a standard item installed in sinks.

An industry insider said, "High-spec furniture with smart functions surprisingly did not receive much consumer preference," adding, "There is a high preference for cost-effective furniture that provides a little convenience in daily life, such as helping to do other tasks without using hands while cooking."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.