Whirlpool Corporation, IBM Collaborate on Cognitive Solutions for Connected Appliances

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. and ARMONK, NY. - 06 Jan 2016: Whirlpool Corporation, the world's leading manufacturer of major home appliances, and IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced a new collaboration to connect Whirlpool connected home appliances with IBM Watson services, including cognitive analytics, to provide more personalized services to consumers.

IBM's cognitive analytics is a strong fit for Whirlpool Corporation, said Laurent Borne, General Manager, Connected Appliances, Whirlpool Corporation. Saving energy and water, caring for their families through mobile efficiencies these are the benefits we're hoping to bring to consumers. IBM's expertise in data storage, and cloud computing ensures we'll continue to bring our consumers relevant technologies in the future, as well as deliver new, innovative, and distinctive experiences for the consumer.

In step with its position as an industry leader, Whirlpool is gearing up for a market on the cusp of increased demand for intuitive, connected home appliances. Through IBM Watson services, including cognitive analytics, data management and protection, Whirlpool Corporation can better serve the consumer as connected home appliances continue to evolve. The collaboration will also focus, in part, on the importance and intricacies of big data; Whirlpool Corporation is using IBM Cloud Business Solutions to harness real-time data and insights from appliances to drive product optimization or enhance and introduce new benefits customized/tailored to consumers' unique needs.

Working with IBM, Whirlpool Corporation can now further improve performance, optimize supply chain and enhance service delivery, said Bruce Anderson, General Manager, Global Electronics Industry, IBM. Cognitive computing systems sense, reason and learn to provide enterprises the ability to access and analyze most data quickly and efficiently to create meaningful insights that benefit business and society alike.

Whirlpool brand has taken its connected appliance offering to CES in Las Vegas. The brand introduced the Whirlpool Smart Kitchen Suite with CareSync system a three-piece suite of connected appliances that blends consumers' home cooking with sleek design. The suite is one of the latest innovations from Whirlpool that Works with Nest and allows families to control select features of their kitchen appliances remotely refrigerator, oven and dishwasher using the Whirlpool(R) Smart App.[1]

The brand also brought the new Whirlpool Smart Top Load Washer and Dryer enabled with Connect to CareTM program, an option that, when enabled, allows consumers to make a small donation to Habitat for Humanity every time a load of laundry is washed.[2]

For more information, to join the conversation and see the company's care-centric product innovations and conceptual inspirations come to life, visit Whirlpool brand's booth #74352 in the Family & Technology Marketplace, located at the Sands Expo Center, or ces.whirlpool.com .

About Whirlpool Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is the number one major appliance manufacturer in the world, with approximately $20 billion in annual sales, 100,000 employees and 70 manufacturing and technology research centers throughout the world in 2014. The company markets Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, Brastemp, Amana, Bauknecht, Jenn-Air, Indesit and other major brand names in more than 170 countries. Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com, or find us on Twitter at @WhirlpoolCorp.

About IBM Corporation

There are more than 9 billion connected devices operating in the world today, generating 2.5 quintillion bytes of new data daily. Cognitive systems help overcome this challenge learning at scale, reasoning with purpose, and interacting with humans naturally. In March 2015, IBM announced that it intended to invest more than $3 billion to address the needs of organizations that are looking to capitalize on the increasing instrumentation and interconnectedness of the world driven by the Internet of Things (IoT).

In December 2015, IBM announced that Munich, Germany will serve as the global headquarters for its new IBM Watson IoT unit, as well as its first European Watson innovation center. The center will bring together developers, consultants, researchers and designers to drive deeper engagement with clients and partners, and build a new class of connected solutions at the intersection of cognitive computing and the IoT.

IBM Watson IoT Cloud is designed to meet the broad needs of enterprises, their connected devices and their connected customers, offering secure connectivity of devices around the globe, enabled by advanced cognitive analytics and mitigated risk with pay-per-device pricing.

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[1] Requires Wifi and account creation. App features and functionality subject to change. Subject to Terms of Service available at: www.whirlpool.com/connect. Data rates may apply.

[2] The Connect to Care Program will give Whirlpool Smart Top Load Washer customers the option to make per-washer load charitable donations of $.15, $.25 or $.50 to Habitat for Humanity through the Whirlpool app. The total amount of customer donations during the Program will depend on the number of participants and eligible loads through December 31, 2016. In addition to the charitable donations made by participating customers, Whirlpool will directly donate a minimum of $95,000 and up to $100,000 to Habitat for Humanity in 2016. Visit whirlpool.com/smart-appliances/smart-top-load-washer-dryer for more information.

LINK:	http://www-03.ibm.com/press/uk/en/pressrelease/48799.wss...
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