TCL Moves Into North American Appliance Market With IoT Air Conditioning Products at AHR Expo
TCL wasted little time unveiling the appliances it alluded to at its CES news conference (see 1601060012). In its North American appliance launch Monday at the International Air Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo) in Orlando, TCL bowed a split…
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air conditioner, mobile air conditioner and dehumidifier based on the Ayla Networks IoT platform. Ayla’s over-the-air (OTA) communications services allow for remote upgrading of firmware after the products have been installed at customer sites, said the companies. The TCL products can push information to end users’ mobile applications to match the language of each user’s mobile phone, said TCL. Frank Wang, TCL deputy general manager-overseas marketing center, praised IoT for its ability to help manufacturers serve customers better. The company can “repair our smart connected products in the field and perform preventive maintenance using Ayla’s OTA technology, which saves time and money for both us and our customers,” said Wang. Another benefit is energy savings. The new TCL split air conditioner saves up to 25 percent energy versus “pre-IoT versions,” he said. TCL is taking pre-orders at AHR, with shipping due later this year. The move into appliances in North America is part of TCL’s globalization strategy, and its partnership with Ayla will help it achieve its expansion goals through Ayla’s connected data centers in North America, Europe and China, said the company.