​LG, Naver Team Up For ThinQ Hub AI Speaker

LG Electronics' AI speaker, ThinQ Hub, will be powered by Naver's Clova AI platform, the companies have said.

ThinQ Hub comes with LG's own AI platform but owners can get Clova through a firmware update. The speaker, makes up part of LG's SmartThinQ smart home line-up, was designed to control and monitor LG-made home appliances.

LG opened up the platform's API to developers last month.

Despite having its own AI installed, LG likely teamed up with Naver to get the latter's streaming music service, which is the most popular service for AI speaker owners.

It will also allow ThinQ Hub owners to access news, translation, and search services offered by South Korea's largest portal.

Along with Clova, LG is also offering Google Assistant and Amazon's Alexa for its smart home.

Naver's own devices that use Clova will be powered by Qualcomm's SoC, the firms announced in June.

SK Telecom, South Korea's largest mobile carrier, is also servicing its own NUGU AI speaker; while compatriot Samsung teamed up with chat giant Kakao to cooperate on their respective AI platforms, Bixby and Kakao I.

Kakao launched its own AI speaker, Kakao Mini, earlier this month. The chat app provider owns South Korea's biggest music streaming service, Melon.

Samsung is planning launch its own AI speaker next year and will likely capitalise on its partnership with Kakao to boost content in South Korea.

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