South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics Co. plans to begin the sales of its Bespoke AI Combo washer-and-dryer in the global market in the second quarter of this year.

“We will launch the Bespoke AI Combo in the United States this month and in global markets such as Southeast Asia in the second quarter,” said Lee Moo-hyung, executive vice president and head of customer experience (CX) team of the digital appliances (DA) business at Samsung Electronics, on Monday. “Given that the dryer penetration rate in Korea is 30 percent, we anticipate a market growth of 20 to 30 percent.”

The Bespoke AI Combo is an all-in-one washer-dryer with performance equivalent to a standalone dryer, based on the company’s hardware and software innovations.

The Bespoke AI Combo debuted in Korea late last month.

The Bespoke AI Combo can wash (with a capacity of 25 kilograms) and dry (with a capacity of 15 kg) simultaneously using a single drum, making it the product with the largest drying capacity in Korea.

Samsung Electronics achieved hardware innovation by combining washing and drying in one unit, with the heat pump at the bottom moved to the top and the automatic detergent dispensing device lowered to the bottom.

“By incorporating an inverter heat pump, we applied an optimal component design and included a large-capacity heat exchanger of the same size as a regular 21-kg dryer,” Lee said.

The company also successfully overcame structural constraints by applying its patented tub-integrated air circulation structure.

As a result of these efforts, Samsung Electronics was able to introduce the Bespoke AI Combo, which can wash and dry 3 kg of laundry in just 99 minutes and whose heat pump module saves up to 60 percent of drying time.

The all-in-one washer-dryer also features a hybrid drying cycle that uses a combination of heat pump and heater hot air.

By Seong Seung-hoon and Yoon Yeon-hae

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