The smart home is one of the staples of the modern household in the 21st Century. In an increasingly interconnected world, we are more heavily dependent on technology to get by our exponentially hectic lifestyles.
As such, the need for our household appliances to meet our hectic demands has increased tenfold as well, leading to top tech brands such as LG, Dyson and Samsung to develop equipment and apps that are designed to fill those roles and even beyond.
German appliance manufacturer Bosch aims to achieve the same as well, with the launch of their new Home Connect ecosystem. This app is Bosch’s first foray into smart home technology, and is designed to make your life at home more convenient.
Forgot to get the washing machine going after dumping your soiled laundry in there? You don’t have to leave your couch — simply do so via Home Connect. Need to make a cup of coffee but don’t exactly know how to make a cappuccino or an espresso? Home Connect has some classic and exotic coffee recipes available for your Bosch coffee maker to brew for you.
The list goes on, and while it seems that this is all limited to home and kitchen appliances, that’s exactly what Bosch aims to specialise in. Just note that Home Connect only works with Bosch appliances, as with Samsung’s Family Hub, so cross-brand functionality doesn’t apply in this case.
However, with voice activation, there is some form of overlap. You can use your voice to control Home Connect via Amazon Echo or any other smart speaker of your choice.
The Bosch Home Connect Refrigerator is another interesting concept, but nothing we haven’t exactly seen before. You can view your fridge’s contents remotely via the app, as well as browse through possible dishes you can whip up as the app suggests. This is similar to what Samsung has done on their Family Hub Refrigerator.
However, what Bosch aims to separate itself from the likes of its rivals is the API (Application Programming Interface) system on Home Connect. Specifically, you can connect with Bosch’s partnered retailers such as Amazon, Lazada or RedMart to do your online shopping with added convenience. Say you need some potatoes for your next casserole. Home Connect allows you to purchase your potatoes via the app itself, without having to connect to the RedMart app.
It does sound like a real handy feature, although, at the time of writing, we haven’t actually found evidence of how that works out, so it might be an addition at a later date.
If your Bosch appliances are in need of some servicing, consider having them sorted at the new UnserHaus Customer Care Centre, which also launched on May 31.
This customer care centre isn’t like any you’d typically find — it’s actually designed to resemble the interior of a modern household. Complete with couches, a TV to view your favourite shows while waiting for your turn to be served, as well as a children’s play area, the new Customer Care Centre is aimed to provide you with a smooth experience while you get your faulty equipment sorted. While it’s certainly a looker, we’re hoping that the service matches the looks.
Other than specialising in just kitchen appliances and the API system, there seems to be little that separates Bosch Home Connect from its contemporaries. Perhaps it’s due to the fact that they’ve just launched (May 31, to be exact), so maybe we can close one eye on their limited uniqueness.
However, for Bosch to truly stand out among its rivals, there needs to be something more unique that they need to produce, as API can certainly be replicated among its contemporaries, if they haven’t done so already.
Bosch’s Home Connect-powered appliances are now available online at their official Lazada flagship store, as well as on their official online store.
The UnserHaus Customer Care Centre is located at 38C Jalan Pemimpin, #01-01, Singapore 577180.
Marion has a serious RPG addiction. Sometimes it bleeds into real life; he forgets to sleep because he thinks he has a Witcher’s body clock. Forgive him in advance if he suddenly blurts out terms such as “Mind Flayer” and “Magic Missile”, because never once does he stop thinking about his next Dungeons & Dragons game.
Natalie
HSALS
Si Jia
