Haier's Cooperation with Apple Reaps First Fruits

Haier Releases World's First Smart Homekit Air Conditioner and Builds Own Open Smart Home Platform

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Mar 13, 2015, 08:00 ET

BEIJING, March 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Haier, the world's leading home appliances and consumer electronics brand, has released a number of smart innovations at the 14^th Appliance World Expo (AWE 2015) currently being held in Shanghai, China, showcasing its leading position in intelligent appliance development. As the first and sole Chinese home appliance enterprise to cooperate with Apple on its HomeKit platform, these innovations include the world's first smart air conditioner based on Apple's HomeKit iOS platform using Siri voice control, which will bring users an effortless smart home experience. They also include the world's first 3-D printed air conditioner, a high-end customized product in Haier's smart air ecosystem.

In addition to intelligent appliances, Haier also released its 'U+ Smart Life' App at the ongoing AWE 2015, which will allow users to easily realize human-computer interaction (HCI) with various Haier home appliances linked to Haier's own 'U+ Smart Life' platform. This App already supports connectivity with more than one hundred brands, including Apple, bringing better user experiences for Haier's HomeKit Air Conditioner, as well as Microsoft. Haier and Microsoft cooperated together to jointly enable an HCI mode whereby users can remotely control smart devices on the platform through human-like communications with Microsoft's Xiaobing chatbot. Haier Asia International, an Asian arm of Haier Group, also plans to release a new refrigerator this summer in Japan using an Android control system. Internet-connected users would then be able to remotely check the ingredients in the refrigerator amongst other functions.

Haier's 'U+ Smart Life' platform is a fully-open, fully-individualized, and fully-interactive smart home system. It is interoperable not only with all of Haier's intelligent appliances, but also with various other third-party devices. The platform is the smart home entranceway for users and is also connected to Haier's online factories. In this way, users can communicate through the platform directly with Haier's factories to suggest individualized customizations. These new orders will then automatically be spread to Haier's global suppliers to design the suggested features and product enhancements.

Haier's 'U+ Smart Life' platform and its production of intelligent home appliances showcase its leading role in smart home development and its focus on adapting to the changing dynamics of the Internet era. For Haier, this does not only mean deploying the Internet within product design, but also implanting Internet thinking into its entire business model. The Internet has allowed the company to transform from an enterprise-centric to a user-centric model that involves users in corporate management. Through its new manufacturing model, Haier's online factories will allow users' individualized requirements and orders to be turned from potential into reality by enabling Internet-connected customers to participate in the R&D and manufacturing processes. So, as Haier's 'U+ Smart Life' platform will transform home appliances into an intelligent, interconnected Internet terminal with coordination and sharing functions, Haier itself is mirroring this to become an intelligent, interconnected enterprise that engages with its users and entrepreneurs around the world to develop mass customization of these appliances.

About Haier Group

Haier is the world's leading home appliance provider, with global revenues amounting to US$ 32.09 billion and profits of US$ 2.40 billion in 2014. Its mission is to create innovative home appliances that anticipate the fast-changing needs of consumers all around the world. Haier has been named the number one global home appliance brand every year for the last six years by Euromonitor International, a world leader in strategy research for consumer markets, and in 2012 the Boston Consulting Group named Haier one of the ten most innovative companies in the world as well as the most innovative company in the consumer and retail category. Its global headquarters are based in the Chinese city of Qingdao and it also has regional headquarters in both Paris and New York to serve its clients in Europe and America. Haier also has 5 R&D centers, 66 trading companies and 21 industrial parks worldwide.

Haier Electronics Group Co., Ltd. a subsidiary of the Haier Group, is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKG: 1169). By drawing on its competitive strengths in marketing, the Internet, logistics and services, Haier Electronics Group aims to provide an integrated and unrivalled consumer experience. Qingdao Haier Co., also a subsidiary of Haier Group, is listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SHA: 600690) and focuses on driving innovation in smart home technologies.

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SOURCE Haier Group