Singapore: The Ascott Ltd says it aims to roll out smart home technologies to its serviced residences across over 20 countries globally from 2016 onwards.
Ascott says it aims to “test bed the new technologies at selected Ascott serviced residences by the first half of 2016”, with plans to roll out to its properties across over 20 countries globally in phases.
Ascott has entered into an exclusive partnership with Samsung Asia Pte Ltd, a unit of Samsung Electronics (Samsung), to jointly develop “Internet of Things-ready” smart solutions customised for serviced residences.
When the technology has been installed, guests will be able to use customised settings on their mobile devices or smart TV to control one or multiple devices simultaneously no matter where they are – turning on air conditioning or monitoring a laundry cycle, for example – while inside or outside the serviced residence, or even while travelling abroad.
By knowing when the day starts for the guests, the smart devices can even turn on the lights and heat up a coffee pot just in time. Guests can also use their smartphones to get real-time views of the serviced residence via in-built appliance cameras within an air conditioner or robot cleaner.
In addition, Ascott’s housekeeping staff can be promptly notified when it is time to service appliances, keep the laundry or replace consumables.
Lee Chee Koon, Ascott CEO said: “As a global leader in serviced residences, Ascott continuously seeks to innovate and test new ideas to ensure that we remain at the forefront of the industry. The Internet of Things technology is on the brink of quick adoption and it will come at a speed we can barely imagine. It will enable us to gain real-time insights to better understand the lifestyle and preferences of our guests and to anticipate their needs. Ascott aims to transform these complex data into useful information to improve customer experience and operational efficiency.”
Lee added: “We are confident that Ascott’s strategic alliance with Samsung, one of the world’s biggest electronics companies with extensive R&D experience in smart home technologies, will make this compelling vision of a next-generation serviced residence a reality. Some of these smart home technologies may also be adopted by the other business units within the CapitaLand Group.”
Yong Sung Jeon, president and CEO, Samsung Electronics Southeast Asia & Oceania, said: “Samsung is an industry leader in consumer electronics with expertise in all areas, from visual display, home appliances to smartphone technology. The strength of Samsung’s brand and market penetration of our products, combined with an open ecosystem strategy, opens up possibilities for Samsung to lead the Internet of Things space. We are pleased to be working with Ascott to bring to life smart living in the serviced residence industry and make life better and more comfortable for consumers.”</p
