Recent Articles

April 21, 2021

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.
February 23, 2021

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.
February 9, 2021

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 devicesVirtual Switch: Create switches that can be used in scenes and automation without buying actual devicesTV 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
November 26, 2020

SmartThings Find – Keeping Everything You Care About Accounted For

Tech of today no longer works alone. Smart applications have become engrossed in multitudes of different devices, including watches, phones, headphones, televisions, and more. They all work together, so if one of them is missing, users can lose out on features. We’re thrilled to introduce SmartThings Find, a tool used to locate missing Galaxy devices, all through the SmartThings app! Leveraging Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and ultra-wideband (UWB) technologies to locate smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and earbuds – even down to each individual bud – SmartThings Find is the tool you’ve been waiting for. SmartThings users will complete a brief registration process to link their devices together. Through the SmartThings app, all devices are organized in one place, making it as simple as tapping the device you are looking for to bring up information on its location. What if your device lost its battery power, or is in a location where there is no service like a basement? With SmartThings Find, offline no longer means “offline”! SmartThings users now have the option to use their device to securely locate an offline one. When a device has been “offline” (either dead, or in a dead zone) for 30 minutes, a BLE signal is released that can then be found by other devices as well. But – it does not just stop with friends. If you report a device missing, ANY Galaxy tablet or phone can opt in to help you. In addition, SmartThings Find offers features like the ability to ping a device when searching for it in a room or specific area, and also integrates map directions so you can get the precise location. There is also an AR feature for nearby searching, which will display different color hues as you are getting closer to the device, perfect for being stuck in hard to reach or see places. SmartThings Find is available for all Galaxy smartphones, tablets, and other devices running Android 8 or later.
January 8, 2020

Your Car Joins the Smart Home for the First Time

Second to your home, your vehicle is probably one of your most sophisticated and prized devices. However, your smart home and connected car never got the chance to officially meet, until now. During CES 2020, Samsung’s industry leading IoT platform, SmartThings, unveiled an exclusive partnership with Smartcar, the first and only car API for mobility applications. In an industry first, SmartThings will deliver “car” as a capability.  Working with Smartcar, SmartThings users will be able to control both their home and their car through one platform, adding to the 5,000 devices and hundreds of third party partners that already work with SmartThings. Smart homes and connected cars have always lived in separate ecosystems, each with their own services and devices. Smartcar’s technology will allow you to locate and unlock your car, read a vehicle’s mileage, fuel tank, or EV battery level, and more - direct from the SmartThings app. Through this partnership, Samsung SmartThings is the only IoT platform that will integrate with most new cars in the United States for our millions of active users.     Imagine driving home after a long day at work waiting to relax and meditate.  As you turn the corner of your block, the garage door opens automatically, the air conditioner turns on, the lights are dimmed, and you enter into a peaceful room full of zen – all without saying a word or making a command.   SmartThings is committed to expanding its open ecosystem, working with the most popular brands and devices to give consumers choice, peace of mind, all while technology sits in the background – allowing your home to take care of you and your family, whether you’re home or not. Stay tuned for more updates from Samsung’s SmartThings as Smartcar functionality rolls out early this year.
January 18, 2017

#GetToKnowYourCustomersDay Sweepstakes Rules

Official Rules: 2017 SmartThings Giveaway THIS PROMOTION IS A SWEEPSTAKES. NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING. THE PROMOTION IS VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, AND ALL APPLICABLE FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY. All federal, state and local taxes are the sole responsibility of the winner. (more…)
January 13, 2017

Product Changes for 2017

At SmartThings we’ve always prided ourselves on being open and honest with our community–and sometimes that hurts. To be as transparent as possible, we’d rather tell you the good (and the bad) when we can. With that said, we have several unpleasant announcements: Migration Tool In 2014, we announced the SmartThings v2 Hub as the next generation Hub to replace our initial Kickstarter product. At that time, we were hard at work on a “migration tool” to help users who wanted to transition from the original Hub to the newer model. Unfortunately, after several false starts, we’ve come to the conclusion that it’s not feasible to reliably transfer settings and devices from the first version Hub to the newer model. With that, we are no longer planning to deliver a Hub v1 to Hub v2 migration tool. We regret that we can’t deliver on our initial promise, but in order to release a migration tool we needed it to deliver a great experience. We found it would be extremely difficult to automatically exclude and shift devices to the new Hub, and we’re unable to meet the expectations we set. Our goal is to always deliver the best mix of features and customer experience, and we regret that we’re letting some of our most loyal customers down. Windows Phone App We also regret to announce that version 1.7.0 of the SmartThings app for Windows Phone will be the last major release for the Windows Phone OS. We are no longer able to provide the desired level of updates and support for this platform and have made the tough decision to discontinue Windows phone development. Version 1.7.0 now offers support for Windows 10 features. Barring unforeseen issues, this version will continue to function (with Windows Phone 10 Anniversary update). On April 1, 2017 version 1.7.0 will be removed from the Windows app store, and it will no longer be possible to download it and install it onto a new device. We will continue to offer technical support through June 2017 for existing users. SmartApp Curation Finally, over the next few months, we will be removing SmartApps from the Marketplace that are no longer updated or supported by their developers. We will notify, where possible, the SmartApp developer beforehand, and help existing SmartApp users find alternatives. SmartThings did not make any of these decisions lightly, and we understand that we are disappointing some of our users. However, these changes allow us to continue to focus on other products and services to help the whole of our community.  
December 17, 2016

Schlage giveaway Rules

Official Rules: 2016 SmartThings Giveaway THIS PROMOTION IS A SWEEPSTAKES. NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING. THE PROMOTION IS VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, AND ALL APPLICABLE FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY. All federal, state and local taxes are the sole responsibility of the winner. (more…)
December 13, 2016

ecobee3 Giveaway Rules

Official Rules: 2016 SmartThings Giveaway THIS PROMOTION IS A SWEEPSTAKES. NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING. THE PROMOTION IS VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, AND ALL APPLICABLE FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY. All federal, state and local taxes are the sole responsibility of the winner. (more…)
October 28, 2016

Spooky Smart Halloween Automations

Are you planning on using your SmartHome to spook trick or treaters? Perhaps you want your outdoor lights to remain dark, or for some automated spooks to only jump out on Halloween night. We’ve got you covered! Pause your regular automations and enjoy the night of fright to its fullest with these SmartThings Halloween tips. A Haunted Entry: Give your front door some scare power using SmartThings! Use a SmartThings Multipurpose Sensors and set up a haunted doorway for trick or treaters to enjoy. Attach the Multipurpose sensor to your door and your favorite haunted house effects can start automatically when you open it. Use a SmartThings Outlet and set up a speaker to turn on and play spooky sound effects - we suggest a bloodcurdling scream - when the door opens for unsuspecting visitors. Take it one step further and use an Aeon Labs MultiSensor and an outdoor light - we love the Osram LIGHTIFY Gardenspot Lights - to light up your yard with any color when trick-or-treaters approach. What you Need: SmartThings Hub Samsung SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor Samsung SmartThings Outlet Aeon Labs MultiSensor Osram LIGHTIFY Gardenspot RGB Know when visitors come knocking: We know that holidays can be hectic, even All Hallows Eve, so make sure you don’t miss any of the fun with the help of SmartThings. Add a SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor to your front door and set our “Door Knocker SmartApp” to send you a text notification when little ones come knocking. Now you can tend your bubbling cauldron and not miss a chance to bewitch even one trick or treater.