Author: SmartThings

Automate Your Somfy Shades and Blinds with SmartThings

SmartThings is pleased to announce its integration with Somfy, the best-in-class manufacturer of tubular motors for interior window coverings and exterior solar protections. Through this integration, Somfy-powered shading solutions can now be fully integrated into the smart home and controlled through the SmartThings application, simplifying the everyday. The integration is available in North America market.

With Somfy smart shading solutions, homeowners and residents can seamlessly control their shades, blinds, and screens from the same control system as their other connected living devices. Leveraging the power of SmartThings, users can create customized experiences and comfort at the touch of a button, with unique features including: 

  • One Master Control System to control and automate Somfy motorized shades and blinds along with other smart home devices. 
  • Natural Lighting Control, allowing users the choice to have their shades, blinds, draperies, screens, awnings, and pergolas open and close on demand or automated to spend more time on other tasks.
  • Energy Efficient Homes, with scheduling that allows shades to open during the warmest times of the day in winter and close during the hottest times of the day in summer to save on heating and cooling costs. 
  • Home Automation, allowing for simultaneous control of multiple smart home devices. With one command, homes can be ready for your next activity, whether waking up or going to bed, leaving the house or watching a movie.

This new offering is another representation of SmartThings’ commitment to uplifting everyday living by making the home more unified. By adding Somfy into SmartThings’ ecosystem, users can automate everyday tasks and stay more engaged in the moments that truly matter most.  

Go Green and Save Money with SmartThings Energy

Looking for new ways to take control of your energy consumption? SmartThings Energy, a new service within the SmartThings app, allows consumers to make greener decisions with monitoring, target-setting, and notifications of Samsung appliances and HVAC systems. 

The new, first-of-its-kind solution provides another reason to invest in IoT. With more people staying at home during the pandemic, there has been a significant increase in home energy usage. Now, one of the most sought after smart home features is available. SmartThings Energy delivers a real-time view of energy consumption, analysis and cost estimates – putting control into the hands of its users. 

SmartThings Energy is the most comprehensive real-time energy consumption data on the market and addresses challenges related to major energy consuming appliances like air conditioners, refrigerators and laundry machines, head-on.  

Through SmartThings Energy, users can:

  • Monitor the energy usage of home appliances. Users can check their electricity and water usage from a single device or aggregated usage from multiple compatible devices. They can also view their consumption data in comparison to target goals and see how much energy they are using compared to the previous month.  
  • Discover consumption data. User-friendly charts allow users to understand how much energy each of their devices is consuming. In addition, users will receive energy saving tips based on the devices that are connected. For example, switch to eco-wash mode to run laundry. 
  • Save energy through notifications that alert users when they’re using too much energy at a given time. For instance, the interface sends alerts when a device is left on while users are away from the home and when they are using more energy than their monthly target.

SmartThings Energy, which will support most of the Samsung Home Appliances and HVAC products, is the latest innovation that represents the company’s commitment to sustainable living. In the future, SmartThings will expand the service to WWST partners and bring in new partners that specialize in energy management.

Introducing the New SmartThings Experience

We are pleased to unveil the next generation of our SmartThings connected home experience. Featuring a new look and feel, the new SmartThings interface offers users a simpler, more robust user journey, and faster load times. 

Smart homes continue to surge in popularity, with the number of smart homes expected surpass the 350 million mark by 2023. The new SmartThings interface delivers on the needs of both future and existing customers by creating a more seamless application experience. With an enhanced user journey, SmartThings makes life easier to discover and experience IoT services, while ensuring a seamless transition from SmartThings’ previous version.  

The updated app, which will be available on desktop and mobile devices, is the latest example of our ongoing commitment to bringing smart functionality and capabilities to consumers. The revamped layout will include five different sections: Favorites, Devices, Automations, Life, and More:

  • Favorites is the new home screen within SmartThings and gathers the devices, scenes, and services used most for quicker access. 
  • Devices lets users view and control all devices, connecting TVs, light bulbs, appliances, and more. 
  • Life is a place to explore the growing world of connected living where users can discover new SmartThings services that transform physical products into meaningful user experiences. 
  • Automations connects devices and allows them to work together and respond to specific conditions in the home, such as a door opening and a light turning on.  
  • Menu will house additional SmartThings features including SmartThings Labs, Notifications, History, and Settings.    

This update comes on the heels of recent news about SmartThings’ new Windows application, which offers a similar user experience right from a Galaxy Notebook and any other Windows PC. 

‘Matter’ Joins SmartThings Ecosystem, Paves Way for Expanded Connected Home Possibilities

We’re pleased to announce that a new protocol, Matter, will soon be integrated into the SmartThings ecosystem, marking a critical step in advancing smart home solutions and creating new opportunities for consumers and developers. Powered by market-proven technologies, Matter devices will interact with thousands of products and brands already within the SmartThings platform, allowing for even more versatility and flexibility.    

Unveiled earlier this week, Matter is a royalty-free, open-source connectivity standard that will enable communication among a wide range of smart devices. SmartThings will fully integrate Matter into its powerful ecosystem, while continuing to support existing protocols including Zigbee, Z-Wave and more, ensuring no disruption to current connected homes. New and existing customers will still be able to leverage the powerful SmartThings automations to create rich smart home experiences. 

For our developers, Matter opens the door of innovation, allowing more time to focus on creativity while reducing time spent of recreating efforts across various ecosystems. For our builder and real estate partners, Matter is the future of reliable connectivity, ensuring the widest choice in smart device compatibility at scale. The protocol allows them to unlock additional revenue, streamline installation and training, and ensure lasting quality for their customers.

Matter bridges the gaps between the past, present, and future connected devices by simplifying connected experiences and ensuring new devices can seamlessly be integrated into existing smart homes. As pioneers in the smart home industry from the very beginning, we believe this will become the de facto standard in every smart home in the world, and seamlessly be controlled by the SmartThings app. 

SmartThings continues to be the glue that connects devices together across brands and platforms. With the addition of Matter, SmartThings maintains its stronghold position as a powerful and comprehensive ecosystem offering users more choices for their everyday lives.

This collaboration represents the next step in SmartThings’ commitment to providing an open environment and consumer-driven experiences. With 5,000 devices across 214 brands, SmartThings prides itself with its dedication to consumer choice. In the months ahead, SmartThings will continue to collaborate with other members of Connectivity Standards Alliance to shape the future of IoT and give customers a greater peace of mind. 

Repurpose legacy Galaxy Smartphones into Smart Home Devices

Want to give new life to legacy Galaxy smartphones? Leveraging the power of SmartThings and repurposing built-in sensors within Galaxy devices, you can now turn old Galaxy phones into sound and light sensors. Here is how to start: 

Onboard legacy phone

  1. Download the SmartThings app on your current phone.
  2. Tap the Menu (☰) and select “SmartApps”
  3. Select More Options (⋮) and choose SmartThings Labs* followed by Galaxy Upcycle
  4. Click on “Next” to generate a QR code.
  5. Scan the QR code with your legacy phone.
  6. Install the “Galaxy Upcycle” app on your legacy phone.
  7. Select either “Light sensor” or “Sound sensor” feature.

Set up a “Light sensor”

  1. Tap “Light sensor” to add your legacy phone as a light sensor.
  2. Go back to your current phone and open the SmartThings app. The new light sensor will now be available on your device list. 
  3. Tap the light sensor device card to see the current brightness level, scored out of 7 levels of brightness.
  4. Using Automations, you can now adjust your lighting based on the brightness level detected by the sensor. 

Set up a “Sound sensor”

  1. Tap “Sound sensor” to add your legacy phone as a sound sensor.
  2. Go back to your current phone and open the SmartThings app. The new sound sensor will now be available on your device list. The sensor detects 5 types of sounds including baby crying, dog barking, cat meowing, glass breaking, and knock on door.
  3. Using Automations, you can now control your devices using the sounds detected by the sensor. 

*SmartThings Lab uses experimental features. Some features may only be available for certain devices, models, or countries. Some features may be removed or changed without notice. 

Galaxy Upcycling

Repurpose Older Galaxy Smartphones into Smart Home Devices with SmartThings

SmartThings is pleased to share its integration within Samsung’s Galaxy Upcycling at Home program, giving new life to older Galaxy smartphones not currently in use. As part of Samsung’s commitment to responsibly recycling devices, users in the United States, United Kingdom, and Korea can leverage SmartThings to turn older devices into connected devices to enhance their living experience and extend the lifecycle of their products.   

Users can transform their old devices through SmartThings Labs, a new feature within the SmartThings app. Leveraging the power of SmartThings and repurposing built-in sensors within Galaxy devices, users will initially experience enhanced sound and light control features, including:

  • Using an improved artificial intelligence solution, Galaxy devices can more accurately distinguish sounds in everyday surroundings, and users can choose to save certain sound recordings. For example, if the device detects sounds such as a baby crying, dog barking, cat meowing, or a knock, it will send an alert directly to the user’s smartphone and the user can listen the recorded sound.
  • Galaxy devices can be used as light sensors to measure the brightness level of the room. Users can easily set the device to automatically turn on lights or the TV through SmartThings, if the room becomes darker than the preset standard of light. 

Through Galaxy Upcycling at Home, users will also be able to connect older devices effortlessly to SmartThings, allowing them to interact with more than 5,000 IoT devices across 200 brands within the SmartThings ecosystem. The Galaxy Upcycling at Home feature is available on all S, Note, and Z series released from 2018 (S9, Note9 and above) with Android 8.1 and above.

Samsung and SmartThings are committed to building environmental sustainability and Galaxy Upcycling at Home is an innovative way to minimize global e-waste. The Galaxy Upcycling at Home program supports Samsung’s global efforts toward meeting its goal of collecting 7.5 million tons of e-waste and making use of 500,000 tons of recycled plastic by 2030. This first phase of the program officially launches today, with new features to be released in the near future.

Easily Switch Between SmartThings and Google Home From The Quick Settings Menu of Your Phone

SmartThings continues to fuel infinite possibilities and its commitment to working with partners to create a seamless connected living experience. With Samsung One UI 3.1 and Android 11 update, accessing all connected devices just became more convenient, further enhancing the connected home experience with SmartThings.

With this addition, users can find and manage multiple apps and devices, through a single-entry point. Tap on Device in the Control Panels on the phone, users can easily select SmartThings or Google Home app and quickly switch between each service so users can see all connected devices within the app on one screen. For example, users can set the temperature to chill, then dim the lights.

Currently, in Android 11 or later and Samsung Galaxy devices with One UI 3.1 and above, the Controls feature allows users to quickly manage their smart home devices such as lights, thermostats, and cameras from one convenient place. This feature will also be available in Galaxy S21 series and all upcoming One UI 3.1+ devices this year.

The rollout of Google’s Device Control Panel working with SmartThings technology follows SmartThings recent partnership with Google, bringing the company’s portfolio of Nest products into SmartThings IoT ecosystem. With this integration, Google Nest devices, including thermostats, cameras and doorbells, are now “Works With SmartThings” certified, allowing users to seamlessly control their connected home through SmartThings.

Control your connected devices from one place. Set the temperature to chill, then dim your lights. All from a single spot on your phone. Simply tap on the Device Panel to see and manage your connected devices. Making life at home that much easier.

SmartThings Labs Opens its Doors for Advanced Feature Testing

SmartThings continues to enhance the user experience and we are pleased to officially unveil SmartThings Labs.

SmartThings Labs is an added service within the current SmartThings app, offering advanced access to upcoming features for consumers to test ahead of official release. SmartThings Labs also includes features such as providing real-time feedback directly to engineers and compatibility with other Works with SmartThings devices.

To kick off the debut of SmartThings Labs, users will be able to test the following services:

  • Universal Remote control: Control multiple devices on a single screen, scrolling through different connected devices
  • Virtual Switch: Create switches that can be used in scenes and automation without buying actual devices
  • TV Quick Control: Add TV Control widget on the notification panel and lock screen on your phone.
  • Device as a Bluetooth Keyboard: Users can key input into their televisions and accompanying apps through a Bluetooth keyboard. Make typing on any device a breeze.

SmartThings Labs features seamlessly integrates into Works With SmartThings devices. Users simply open up the SmartThings app, tap the menu bar within, select SmartApps, and finally, tap on the “More” menu to select SmartThings Labs to be automatically connected to features that are currently being tested. Along with the four above-mentioned features, there will be a total of eight features available in the US, and seven in Korea. Among the upcoming features, users will have the ability to use old Galaxy devices as monitors and cameras as part of Samsung’s upcycling program.

For more information about SmartThings Labs or to learn how to join the program, please visit: https://www.smartthings.com/partners/smartthings-labs

Wishes Granted with Genie and SmartThings

In 1954 the Genie® garage door opener became the world’s first mass-produced radio-controlled garage door opener remote. Fast forward over half a century, Genie granted wishes to consumers allowing them to monitor their garage door from anywhere with its Aladdin Connect® Enabled Smart Garage Door Openers. Now, Genie makes its next innovative leap by becoming a Works With SmartThings certified partner, joining SmartThings powerful connected ecosystem.

Similar to SmartThings commitment to bringing smart functionality and capabilities everywhere consumers want it to be, Genie is committed to putting the homeowner first with the next generation of innovations.

Through Genie’s Aladdin Connect and SmartThings, homeowners can receive real-time alerts and open and close their garage door from anywhere in the world with their smartphone. Now, SmartThings users can tell their smart speaker to open or close the garage door, set up a geo-tag to recognize entry to the driveway so the door will open, and many other easy to use smart options, putting users in control of how they gain or grant access to their home.

Further, the SmartThings integration grants autonomous features, like automatically closing the garage door after a set amount of minutes, or incorporating into a SmartThings Scene to shut down when a connected home is headed into night mode. Other safety features include automatically opening the garage door if smoke is detected in the home, and notifying and opening itself if CO levels reach a dangerous threshold.

Building on our recent integration with Mercedes-Benz, we’re enhancing the car-to-home and home-to-car experiences with new features that will launch in the coming months. Through SmartThings, users will soon be able to enable a garage door to open, start their car, and eventually set the car to back itself out. According to research, 3 out of every 4 homeowners with garages use their garage daily. Given that the majority of homeowners use the garage as the primary entrance to their home, the garage door is a critical part of a smart home system. We’re thrilled for the tens of millions of Genie users to enhance their connected homes and join the SmartThings family.