Samsung to Introduce India-Specific Features and Local Languages in AI Appliances

Samsung to Roll Out India-Focused AI Features and Vernacular Language Support in Smart Appliances

Samsung is ramping up its efforts in the Indian home appliances market by introducing artificial intelligence (AI)-powered features tailored to local consumer needs, including support for vernacular languages. The move is part of the South Korean tech giant’s broader strategy to drive growth in the increasingly competitive Indian market.

Executives from the company revealed that Samsung is significantly expanding the capabilities of its SmartThings platform, which allows users to control Samsung’s IoT-enabled appliances. India currently ranks third globally in terms of registered users on the platform, boasting approximately 23 million users, following the US and Brazil. Globally, SmartThings has around 390 million users, and the number of connected devices grew by 39% in 2024 compared to the previous year.

Samsung aims to generate 70% of its India sales from AI-enabled appliances and is now expanding AI integration beyond premium products into mid-range appliances. To facilitate this, it has developed Tizen Lite, a scaled-down version of its Linux-based Tizen operating system, specially designed for mid-tier products without screens. This will allow more affordable appliances, such as top-load washing machines, to support features like Bixby, AI Wash, AI VRT+, and AI Energy, which were previously reserved for high-end models.

One of the most notable developments is the addition of nine Indian languages—Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, Oriya, Tamil, Malayalam, Punjabi, and Telugu—to Samsung’s Family Hub refrigerators, which will be rolled out next month. This inclusion aims to make voice commands and smart appliance interactions more accessible to a wider Indian audience.

“India is the only country where we have four types of software centres across divisions like mobile, consumer electronics, and appliances, along with a Samsung Design Centre in Delhi. These centres play a crucial role in local feature development,” said Sungil Hahm, Vice President of Samsung Electronics' Software R&D Group.

Samsung is also customising features like ‘Stain Wash’ on washing machine panels in India, a feature that’s downloadable through the SmartThings app in other regions. For room air conditioners, Samsung has introduced customised cooling designed specifically for Indian usage habits, such as combining ceiling fans and air conditioners for optimal comfort.

The company is enhancing post-sale support as well, with the launch of a diagnostic service called ‘Home Care Plus’, which helps users identify appliance issues early.

At a media roundtable, Sungil Hahm, along with Deokho Kim, Head of Samsung’s Software Group, and Moonkeun Lee, Head of the AI Solution Lab, emphasized Samsung’s focus on three key customer values: ease of use, savings, and care. The company is conducting interviews and collecting feedback to address consumer pain points through innovative solutions.

Samsung’s Bespoke AI home appliances claim to offer energy savings of 10% to 70%, combined with proactive AI-based diagnostic tools. Data from these connected devices is securely managed through Samsung Knox, the company’s proprietary security platform.

With AI and local language features tailored to Indian preferences, Samsung is strategically positioning itself for long-term growth and deeper market penetration in the country’s fast-evolving consumer electronics segment.