[Better With Bespoke] ① Here’s Why Samsung’s 2021 Appliances Are Putting Customization First

The events of 2020 fundamentally changed the global home appliance industry. Suddenly, our homes were transformed into offices, restaurants, gyms and more, and we now spend significantly more time interacting with our appliances. Over the course of the year, Samsung listened to users’ feedback to understand how these shifts had changed their expectations of home appliances, and analyzed those insights to select a central strategy for 2021: customization.

“Consumers, especially millennials, are spending more time at home and demanding products that enhance their everyday lives with customized features,” said JaeSeung Lee, President and Head of Samsung Electronics’ Digital Appliances Division. “Great, reliable performance is now a basic expectation. The standard for a better, smarter home experience is now decided by how closely appliances can be ‘fit’ to various customer lifestyles.”

Customization is already a key feature of Samsung appliances. Guided by a design philosophy first introduced with a project known as Project PRISM, Samsung appliances cater to users’ unique needs, reflecting their lifestyles just as a prism refracts light into various colors.

That customizable, lifestyle-centric philosophy is epitomized by Samsung’s Bespoke refrigerators. The company’s flagship refrigerator lineup was first introduced in Korea in 2019, and has since expanded into global markets. Offering multiple types of modules (1-Door, BMF, 4-Door), along with panels that can be customized with various colors and finishes, the Bespoke range challenges industry norms by empowering users to customize their fridge to their décor, rather than vice versa.

Bespoke turned out to be a game-changer, driving two-thirds of refrigerator sales in Korea, and proving that consumers – particularly millennials – are in the market for appliances that answer their unique lifestyle needs. The refrigerators went on to launch in select markets around the world, bringing a revolution in home appliances wherever they went.

In Samsung’s vision for the future, the concept of customizing appliances to fit users’ lifestyles does not stop with refrigerators. Indeed, the company is constantly exploring ways to add customizable elements to a wide range of appliances – from staple appliances like refrigerators to relatively new categories of devices, including air purifiers and the clothing care device AirDresser.

The company’s vision does not stop at hardware design, either. Equipping appliances with AI capabilities and connectivity will be crucial for creating more holistic and personalized user experiences. Washing machines that automatically relay cycle information to dryers, refrigerators that know when milk will go bad, air purifiers that switch on automatically when air quality drops – these are a few examples of how Samsung is using its leadership in connectivity and intelligence to put the consumer at the center of every appliance experience.

While continuously upgrading software in devices like the beloved Family Hub™ refrigerator, Samsung is continuously enhancing its SmartThings ecosystem with services that allow consumers to input personal preferences and manage their appliances for a more closely tailored experience.

The idea of taking a more bespoke approach to home appliance design will take center stage at CES 2021. Not only will Samsung kick off Bespoke’s entry in the U.S. market with the unveiling of the all-new 4-Door Flex Bespoke refrigerator, but the company will also reveal exciting new ways that its smart appliances work with users and each other to make life easier for all lifestyles.

“We see the future of Bespoke home appliances as not only being about design, but about performance, hygiene, and sustainability as well,” says Lee. Samsung is excited to present this new way of thinking about home appliances, beginning at this year’s CES. We look forward to another year of developing innovations that put consumers’ needs first.”

Find out more about the diverse range of Samsung’s new Bespoke home appliance in the next installment of the series.