Hey there, tech enthusiasts! It’s your favorite techie, Nuked, here to bring you the latest buzz from the smart home universe. Buckle up, because LG just dropped some exciting news!

LG has officially introduced the ThinQ ON, their very first smart home hub designed for all your connectivity needs. This nifty gadget was first teased at CES earlier this year and is set to make its grand entrance at IFA 2024 in Berlin next week.

The ThinQ ON isn’t just any ordinary hub; it’s an AI-powered marvel that connects and controls LG appliances along with other smart devices using Thread, Matter, and Wi-Fi. With its integration into LG’s ThinQ smart home platform, it utilizes what they call Affectionate Intelligence to learn from your habits and even allows for voice control over connected gadgets.

Visually, the ThinQ ON is a charming little circular hub that also doubles as a smart speaker featuring LG’s AI voice assistant. This assistant can comprehend natural language, grasp context, and evolve based on user preferences—all thanks to LG’s advanced AI chipset designed for future upgrades.

Like most hubs out there, the ThinQ ON enables you to manage and monitor your connected devices while creating routines for home automation via the ThinQ app. Plus, it’s Matter-certified! This means it supports various connectivity options like Wi-Fi and Thread, making it compatible with a wide array of LG products as well as a growing list of devices from other brands.

Now, you might be wondering—what exactly is Matter? It’s a new standard for smart home interoperability that allows devices to communicate easily without needing a cloud connection. Developed by big names like Apple, Amazon, Google, and Samsung, Matter aims to be secure, private, and widely compatible.

With over 30 device types supported—from lighting to robot vacuums—if you see the Matter logo on a gadget, you can bet it’ll work seamlessly with any Matter-compatible ecosystem. Major platforms like Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, and Apple Home are all on board with this initiative.

Speaking of growth, LG recently acquired Athom, the creators of the Homey Pro hub known for its extensive smart device integrations. While we might not see all of Homey’s capabilities right off the bat with the ThinQ ON, this acquisition signals LG’s intent to broaden their smart home offerings.

This launch marks LG’s first significant step towards building a more comprehensive smart home platform akin to Samsung’s SmartThings. Earlier this year, they also announced that some of their TVs would function as Matter-enabled Google Home Hubs—further expanding their ecosystem.

As of now, we’re still in the dark about the pricing or exact availability of the ThinQ ON. But don’t worry! We’ve reached out to LG for more insights and will be checking out the new device in person at IFA next week. Stay tuned for updates!