LG has announced its first smart home hub, the ThinQ ON. As with similar devices, the new product will allow you to link various smart home devices for remote controls, even when you are away from home. Where ThinQ ON differs from its competitors is its generative AI, which the company claims is an industry first.

With the DQ-X AI chip, you can use natural voice commands to communicate with the ThinQ ON to control devices and ask for advice or customer support. For example, LG suggests that you could use the hub to check your calendar, see if there is traffic on your commute, or book a taxi. The ThinQ ON can also monitor the state of your home and linked smart home devices, using this data and your habits to intelligently optimize your environment. With Matter-certification, and Thread and Wi-Fi connectivity, it can integrate with a wide range of smart home ecosystems.

The ThinQ has a minimal white finish and is cylindrical, somewhat similar to the Amazon Echo Dot (2nd Gen). Alongside the microphone and speaker are built-in lights, which appear to indicate its status, and the volume can be controlled via integrated buttons. However, it is worth noting that there is no display. The LG ThinQ ON also benefits from the Homey ecosystem; LG acquired Athom Technology, which developed the smart home platform, in July. According to the company, this provides connections to over 50,000 appliances and devices and linkage to the 1,000 apps in the Home App Store. The LG ThinQ ON will be shown at IFA 2024 from September 6th.

Buy the Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) at Amazon