This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on February 17, 2016.

Early this month, Samsung Electronics offered a sneak peek into its latest innovations at the Samsung Southeast Asia Forum 2016. The products that were featured will be launched, in stages, throughout the first half of this year. 

“Samsung would like to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our users and to achieve this we listen to our customers very closely, pushing boundaries and more importantly, building an ecosystem where our products and services are seamlessly connected to one another,” said Jimmy Tan, the director of consumer electronics for Samsung Malaysia Electronics, when speaking at a media roundtable session.

Moving in tandem with the brand’s aim to, among others, create smart connected homes, a number of Samsung’s releases for the year employ the latest technology to simplify life at home without compromising on style, design and sophistication.

1. 360 Cassette air-conditioning unit 

The bladeless circular design allows for omnidirectional airflow discharge while the elegant design that not only blends in but also enhances any home or office setting.

2. SUHD TV

This curved-screen television’s cadmium-free, 10-bit quantum dot display offers sharp picture quality and contrast, enhanced further by its bezel-less design and removal of all other elements that distract form the viewing experience — including the exposed screws on the rear end of the television.

3. Family Hub refrigerator 

The multitude of features include cameras inside the fridge that capture an image when the door closes. It allows for tracking of product expiry dates as well as remote access on your smartphone when out grocery shopping. Dubbed the family’s digital command centre, the Family Hub allows users to pin notes, update calendars and pin photos on the 21.5 inch full HD touch screen on the upper right exterior of the door.

4. AddWash washing machine

This front load washer comes with what is said to be the industry’s first AddWash door, which lets you add a stray item of clothing mid-cycle. It also comes with a smart control that allows users to monitor the wash on their smartphones, including alerting them just before the start of a new washing cycle.