Lego is trying to make tech invisible with Smart Play

Lego unveiled its Smart Play system at CES, emphasizing social and interactive play for children as its core focus. The system utilizes Smart Bricks with sensors, Smart Tags, and Smart Minifigures to create responsive and dynamic play experiences. This allows sets to interact with each other, recognize movement, play sounds, and understand context. Development of Smart Play took eight years, with social play being the initial driving force behind the concept. Lego aimed to build a versatile platform, exploring various scenarios to leverage its capabilities. However, a potential challenge lies in the pricing of Smart Play sets, which are more expensive than comparable standard sets. The Star Wars franchise is being used to launch Smart Play, hopefully attracting a broad audience. The initial sets, containing multiple Smart Bricks, Tags, and Minifigures, are designed to introduce these features. Lego intends to expand Smart Play to other product lines, viewing the platform as having substantial growth potential. Ultimately, Lego's success will depend on its ability to offer engaging experiences and manage pricing, possibly through more affordable add-on kits. The future of Smart Play hinges on its expansion beyond the Star Wars license, showcasing its potential for diverse and interactive play.