Picture this: You slept through your alarm, and now you have to get ready for work in a rush. Quickly, you put on a pot of coffee, iron your clothes, throw everything you need in a bag, and head to the office. Phew, you’re still going to be on time. But wait! Did you unplug the coffee pot? The iron? Turn off all the lights?  You break out into a cold sweat—but then you remember all your appliances are plugged into the SmartThings-compatible TP-Link Smart Plug, and you breathe a sigh of relief, open the SmartThings app, and turn off anything you left on with a simple tap. That’s only the beginning of how TP-Link works with SmartThings. A leading global provider of Wi-Fi devices and more, TP-Link offers the Matter-certified Tapo smart plug, allowing users to control their appliances conveniently, sustainably, and safely.  In our latest X (Twitter) Q&A, we chatted with TP-Link UK to discuss our partnership, how their products work with SmartThings, and more. Browse the highlights below, or keep reading for the full conversation.  The Highlights SmartThings: How does your smart plug work with SmartThings? TP-Link UK: SmartHome owners can connect their appliances to the Tapo smart plug. They don’t even have to be smart appliances! For example, you can control the lights on your Christmas tree this holiday!  Then, in the SmartThings app, users can go into SmartThings Energy to track the energy use of these devices and see electricity bill estimates. No more surprises!  TP-Link UK: Safety is another major concern for users today. How does SmartThings ensure our users avoid the risks that come with everyday appliances? SmartThings: Who hasn’t asked themselves halfway to work, “Did I unplug the iron?” The SmartThings app puts your mind at ease. Simply preset a schedule to auto-manage your devices so they turn off after it’s left on for a set time.  SmartThings: We’d love to know where TP-LINK sees the smart home space heading in the next 5-10 years.  TP-Link UK: We see the future of smart homes as smart and non-smart products all working together seamlessly, no matter who makes them!  Our full conversation with TP-Link UK SmartThings: We’ve got some burning questions for you! First up, what makes TP-Link different? TP-Link UK: Thanks for having us. We are the world’s number 1 provider of Wi-Fi devices to consumers across the globe. The user experience drives everything we do, so we design and build all our networking devices in-house. We’re excited to say that our Tapo smart plug now works with SmartThings Energy!  SmartThings: We’re thrilled to partner with you! How does your smart plug work with SmartThings? TP-Link UK: SmartHome owners can connect their appliances to the Tapo smart plug. They don’t even have to be smart appliances! For example, you can control the lights on your Christmas tree this holiday!  Then, in the SmartThings app, users can go into SmartThings Energy to track the energy use of these devices and see electricity bill estimates. No more surprises!  TP-Link UK: Beyond access to the game-changing SmartThings Energy, what are the other benefits of using the Tapo smart plug with the SmartThings app?  SmartThings: Energy bill surprises are the worst! The SmartThings app lets you turn your plugged-in appliances on and off wherever you are. That way, you only use the devices you need when you need them! Goodbye, wasted energy.  SmartThings: Let’s talk about another matter…Matter! How does TP-Link work with Matter-certified devices, and why is that important? TP-Link UK: TP-Link’s Tapo Mini Smart Wi-Fi Plug is our first Matter-certified product available to customers today, with more to come! The Tapo smart plug will work seamlessly with other Matter devices, such as the SmartThings Station, Samsung Family Hub Fridge, and smart TVs, and setting it up is a breeze! Here’s how: You scan a provided QR code with your phone, and the plug will immediately configure to your home network. Smart living should be easy! TP-Link UK: We’ve covered sustainability and convenience. Safety is another major concern for users today. How does SmartThings ensure our users avoid the risks that come with everyday appliances? SmartThings: Who hasn’t asked themselves halfway to work, “Did I unplug the iron?” The SmartThings app puts your mind at ease. Simply preset a schedule to auto-manage your devices so they turn off after it’s left on for a set time.  SmartThings: This was so fun! But before we wrap, we’d love to know where TP-LINK sees the smart home space heading in the next 5-10 years.  TP-Link UK: Yes! We see the future of smart homes as smart and non-smart products all working together seamlessly, no matter who makes them!  SmartThings: A huge thank you to our partners at TP-LINK UK for chatting with us today!  TP-Link UK: Thank you for having us SmartThings! On that note, we wanted to give your followers a limited-time offer on our Tapo smart plug for SmartThings users! Get an exclusive 5-pack bundle today: https://tplink.aod.promo/uk/tplink-samsung-dec23 Learn more about TP-Link’s smart home brand, Tapo, here: https://www.smartthings.com/partners/tapo

At the 2023 Samsung Developer Conference, Samsung unveiled a suite of cutting-edge tools and features for SmartThings, Samsung’s global connected living platform. Designed to reimagine the experience for SmartThings Ecosystem Developers, these advancements not only create new opportunities for innovation and growth, but also seamlessly integrate Samsung's Technology experiences across its diverse portfolio of products. Building on the success of the 2022 Matter launch, SmartThings is poised to usher in a new era of possibilities as the market prepares to welcome millions of new smart home devices. As a pioneer in the smart home industry and one of the first to receive Matter certification, Samsung is proud to introduce a range of user-centric solutions designed to streamline device registration, expedite Works With SmartThings (WWST) Certification, and elevate the integration experience within the Samsung ecosystem. The enhancements will include an all-new Developer Center, a one-stop shop with resources and education for device integration. As part of this, Samsung is introducing a ‘No Code Wizard’ for Edge Drivers - including Matter devices - that helps match devices with the correct device UI in under 15 minutes, creating a more seamless process. Navigating the developer landscape is further simplified through the new Certification Console, which is tailored for Hub and Cloud-Connected devices. “Samsung has always valued input from its developer ecosystem and as a result, SmartThings has invested heavily in enhancements for device creators seeking Works with SmartThings Certification,” said Jaeyeon Jung, Executive Vice President at Samsung Electronics and Head of SmartThings. "These innovative tools underscore our commitment to providing developers with a dynamic platform that encourages creativity, fosters business growth, and ultimately enhances user experiences.” In addition to technical and certification benefits, the Certification Console will allow device makers to easily submit product images, descriptions, information, and preferred retail links. These assets will both help users set up their devices in Quick Pair on Galaxy phones, and populate the device Catalog on both SmartThings.com and in the app, where consumers can seamlessly browse for and purchase certified devices. Additionally, developers can update retail links and access an analytics dashboard to gain insights into customer engagement. For more information on these dynamic developer tools, visit developer.smartthings.com.

At SmartThings, we believe your smart home should work effortlessly for you. Our innovative "Hub Everywhere" strategy ensures Matter Controllers are more accessible than ever, making it easier for everyone to start and grow their smart home with SmartThings. We take immense pride in offering an extensive range of devices that seamlessly function as Matter Controllers, from our Samsung TVs and Family Hub Refrigerators to Smart Monitors, SmartThings Stations, and our original SmartThings Hubs. This year, we’ve added Samsung Soundbars and Harman speakers to the Hub Everywhere family. Greater Hub Versatility   Our Hub, available in various forms, operates on Hub-Core technology. It serves as the Matter Controller, an OTA-Provider, and the central hub for Edge Drivers that streamline the management of Matter devices. The "Hub Everywhere" approach allows users to incorporate multiple hubs into their home setup, enriching the overall smart home experience.  Creating a Multi-Hub Network  Starting with the SmartThings Station, users can now create a multi-hub network in their home, adding additional hubs to their primary one, which becomes part of the Thread mesh. Doing so allows Matter devices to connect to the most optimal or closest hub, extending the range and reliability of their network. This will allow users to put more devices in more places around their homes while experiencing the reliability and responsiveness of local connectivity.  Introducing Hub Replace  We’re also excited to announce one of our most requested and highly anticipated features, Hub Replace. With SmartThings Hub functionality built into more devices, users may want to upgrade their SmartThings setup to a new hub. Hub Replace enables users to transfer everything from their current hub to a new one while keeping their existing setup intact. With Hub Replace, all devices, the Hub's Matter fabric, Edge Drivers Data, Routines, and other Hub Settings, along with their Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Thread networks if supported by the receiving hub, will be seamlessly transferred and applied to the new hub with just a few quick taps.  With these innovations, SmartThings is simplifying hub upgrades and enabling users to seamlessly continue growing and evolving their smart homes. 

At SDC2023, SmartThings announced three new APIs, empowering developers of all kinds to leverage SmartThings’ robust infrastructure as a platform for their innovative solutions. The SmartThings APIs serve as the foundation for building solutions that interact with SmartThings infrastructure effortlessly. Whether building an app, device, or platform, SmartThings APIs streamline the process, making building connected solutions more efficient and accessible. The new SmartThings APIs announced are: The SmartThings Home API  — With the Home API, developers’ apps can directly interface with devices connected to SmartThings hubs, letting you create applications that offer seamless device management whether users are local or remote.The Home API eliminates the demands of building and maintaining your own cloud or Matter Controller by using SmartThings’ hub and cloud infrastructure as your own. And you don’t have to make tradeoffs between efficiency and innovation. The Home API allows you to pass custom features to your app using "Manufacturer Specific Clusters". The SmartThings Context API — This powerful tool unlocks the benefit of SmartThings’ new Intelligence Platform, and an exciting new level of automations for users. Harnessing AI, sensing, and connected devices to infer context-like presence and frequent activities allows SmartThings to recommend new and helpful experiences that increase engagement with your devices.The Context API allows developers to receive inference results in real time, and use them to help their devices respond more intelligently. Intelligence Platform features and developer access is always subject to user consent, and developer terms and conditions. The SmartThings Enterprise API — The Enterprise API enables developers building solutions for multi-family, rental, and hospitality environments, to leverage SmartThings’ infrastructure and ecosystem, including Samsung appliances, to cost-effectively build and deploy scalable solutions. Enhancing SmartThings Build, the Enterprise API offers full programmatic access so you can build your own platform and app, without requiring individual SmartThings accounts. And your platform can be more flexible than ever, with role-based policies defining access from the device level up, allowing you to adapt to the needs of different customers. Location groups and large-scale access tokens further enhance scalability of your solutions and the businesses you support. The new SmartThings APIs represent a significant step forward in the smart home ecosystem. Developers of consumer smart home devices and apps, as well as smart building and MDU solutions providers, now have access to a robust infrastructure that simplifies development, enhances user and property manager experiences, and saves valuable resources. Whether looking to control devices locally or remotely, leverage AI to make your devices behave more intelligently, SmartThings enables you to build smarter, scalable products, while letting you invest more in doing what you do best — developing innovative solutions for smart homes. Developers interested in gaining early access to these new SmartThings APIs can contact partners@smartthings.com

Picture this, you’re coming home from a long day at work and the only thing that’ll get your spirit up is sitting down to watch your favorite comfort show. You walk in the door and BOOM, the lights dim, and that Friends episode you love begins to play. It’s truly the perfect start to your wind-down routine.  The idea isn’t far-fetched. We’ve partnered with Eve to make living easier (and smarter), giving you the tools you need for instant comfort the second you get home. With products like the Eve Door & Window sensor and SmartThings automations, just open the door and watch your connected devices activate.  We gave attendees a taste of the smart life at our SmartThings Home Tour featuring Eve in May. With the state-of-the-art Smart Home setup on the top floor of the Samsung 837 store, guests were able to see firsthand how Eve products work with SmartThings and connected home devices anywhere—from the kitchen to the living room or bedroom (even the kiddo’s room, too!). In case you missed it, we collaborated with Eve again in a recent LIVE Twitter Q&A to talk more about our partnership and their smart home initiatives. Check out the highlights and full Q&A below. The Highlights SmartThings: We want to know what type of products Eve offers and what makes them a Smart Home game changer.  Eve: Eve Home builds connected home products such as smart plugs, sensors, and switches that help increase energy efficiency, comfort, and safety.  SmartThings: Tell us how Eve products work best with your SmartThings devices. Eve: With a Matter-enabled Eve Door & Window contact sensor, simply open your door and automatically have your connected comforts activated – such as any mood lights connected to an #EveEnergy smart plug and your Samsung TV. Learn more here: https://www.evehome.com/en-us/matter. Eve: Let’s talk about Eve x Matter connectivity. Originally, the Eve product line was compatible with Apple Home only. Spearheaded two years ago, we started transitioning our low-power product line from Bluetooth to Thread, getting it ready for Matter. And our customers who already have those Thread-enabled devices in their home can upgrade to Matter via a free firmware upgrade. Eve Energy, Eve Motion & Eve Door & Window are the first Matter-certified Eve products, and firmware for many more is underway! SmartThings: And Matter also makes it easier to connect Eve products with SmartThings and other devices! The integration of Matter allows our partners, along with Samsung’s Galaxy devices, TVs, and Family Hub appliances, to have the most versatile connectivity options through the SmartThings app. Our full conversation with Eve  SmartThings: Thank you for joining us, we’ve got some burning questions for you! First up, we want to know what type of products Eve offers and what makes them a Smart Home game changer.  Eve: Eve Home builds connected home products such as smart plugs, sensors, and switches that help increase energy efficiency, comfort, and safety.  Did you know that there are tons of benefits to using Eve products with SmartThings? Just connect Eve products to SmartThings to create custom routines catered to YOU! With our Eve Door & Window sensor, simply open your door and automatically have your connected comforts activated.  SmartThings: Now let’s talk about how you can get your Eve products connected in the SmartThings app! Did you know that you can effortlessly create routines that rely on Eve sensors to notify the user once motion is detected or a door is opened? Or, if you’re all about comfort, turn on a light that is connected to an Eve Energy plug when you enter the house or a room and set the mood.  Eve: It’s also super easy to get started and pair any Matter-enabled smart device with SmartThings. Simply download SmartThings on your device, make sure your Eve product is switched on, locate the device and connect. You’re all set. SmartThings: Tell us how Eve products work best with your SmartThings devices. Eve: With a Matter-enabled Eve Door & Window contact sensor, simply open your door and automatically have your connected comforts activated – such as any mood lights connected to an #EveEnergy smart plug and your Samsung TV. Learn more:  https://www.evehome.com/en-us/matter  Eve: But now let’s talk about Eve x Matter connectivity. Originally, the Eve product line was compatible with only Apple Home. Spearheaded two years ago, we started transitioning our low-power product line from Bluetooth to Thread, getting it ready for Matter. And our customers who already have those Thread-enabled devices in their homes can upgrade to Matter via a free firmware upgrade. Eve Energy, Eve Motion & Eve Door & Window are the first Matter-certified Eve products, and firmware for many more is underway! SmartThings: Matter also makes it easier to connect Eve products with SmartThings and other devices! The integration of Matter allows our partners, along with Samsung’s Galaxy devices, TVs, and Family Hub appliances, to have the most versatile connectivity options through the SmartThings app. SmartThings: Now tell us why privacy is so important to Eve. How are products designed with consumers’ safety and privacy in mind?  Eve: Yes, let’s talk about it! Your home is your most private space – it's paramount that we make products that protect it. All data is fully encrypted and only transferred directly between your Eve accessory and Matter controller. Strong encryption verification makes sure that only you hold the key to your home. There is no registration, no tracking, and no Eve cloud. SmartThings: Amazing. Now, let’s see Eve in action! Eve: All you have to do is place your smartphone on the SmartThings Station in your bedroom to activate a good night scene: turn on your bedside lamps connected to Eve Energy and switch off all other lights in the house – and while pressing the button on your SmartThings Station, it will turn off your bedroom lights too!  SmartThings: Before we wrap up, we want to know where SmartThings sees the smart home space heading in the next 5-10 years. Eve: We see the future of smart home and smart products evolving with more powerful automations that simply just work, without any manual controls needed! Thanks again Eve for chatting with us. Stay tuned for more Q&As with our partners on Twitter! 

The popcorn’s ready, and everyone’s gathered around the TV. It’s movie night, but tonight you’re taking it to the next level. With the tap of a button, your “movie night” routine activates in the SmartThings App, and then the magic happens. The movie starts, and your Nanoleaf Bulbs begin to dim, the Lightstrips mimic the surround sound, and the colors change to match the mood. It’s the perfect backdrop to family fun and a night of immersion. That’s only the beginning of how Nanoleaf works with SmartThings. Dedicated to transforming home lighting through innovative smart lighting products, Nanoleaf offers a line of Matter-certified Bulbs and Lightstrips compatible with the SmartThings App—making your movie night setup, or any at-home experience, that much better.  To share more about our partnership—and teach our users about Matter—we hosted a live Twitter Q&A with Nanoleaf’s CEO, Gimmy Chu. Check out the highlights below, or keep reading for the full conversation. The Highlights SmartThings: How can you customize your space with Nanoleaf through the SmartThings app?  Nanoleaf: The SmartThings app lets you easily control your Nanoleaf lights, change their color and even set schedules! For example, you can customize your bedroom lighting by setting a “goodnight” routine, so your lights automatically change to a warm yellow at night to help your mind and body get ready for sleep.  SmartThings: How does Nanoleaf prioritize sustainability? Nanoleaf: Nanoleaf’s Essentials products are manufactured using solar energy, and the LED Bulbs help to save over 29,000 gallons of water over a usage span of 10 years. SmartThings: Where does Nanoleaf see smart home technology heading in the next 5-10 years? Nanoleaf: The future of the smart home will evolve with more powerful automations that simply work, without any manual controls needed. Nanoleaf’s upcoming Sense+ Controls line creates a hands-free lighting experience with your lights turning on exactly when and how you need them.  Our full conversation with Nanoleaf SmartThings: Thank you for joining us. Let’s jump right in. What are Nanoleaf lights and what makes them a Smart Home game changer?  Nanoleaf: We create smart lighting to customize your space. Our light panels and light bars are completely modular with 16M+ color options, giving you the freedom to personalize your lighting exactly how you want it. We also recently launched our Essentials Matter-certified line of Bulbs and Lightstrips to make smart home controls and automations much more seamless. SmartThings: How can you customize your space with Nanoleaf through the SmartThings app? Nanoleaf: The SmartThings app lets you easily control your Nanoleaf lights, change their color and even set schedules! For example, you can customize your bedroom lighting by setting a goodnight “routine,” so your lights automatically change to a warm yellow at night to help your mind and body get ready for sleep.  Now, we have a question for you. What are some benefits of using Nanoleaf with the SmartThings app? SmartThings: We want users to connect Nanoleaf to our app to create custom routines catered to them. Looking for that extra layer of security at night? Set your living room lights to turn on at 10pm every night before bedtime to signify someone is home. Convenience and safety matter deeply to us! Nanoleaf: And you recently unveiled the SmartThings Station! How does this differ from the SmartThings app? SmartThings: SmartThings Station and the SmartThings app work together to create simple, smart home experiences. SmartThings Station is a hub and fast wireless charger, and the SmartThings app manages and controls your smart devices for seamless everyday living. SmartThings: Sustainability is hugely important to us and our SmartThings Energy initiative. How is Nanoleaf prioritizing this?  Nanoleaf: Sustainability is at the core of who we are; we believe this should be a standard for all businesses. Our Essentials products are manufactured using solar energy, and the LED Bulbs help to save over 29,000 gallons of water over a usage span of 10 years. SmartThings: We completely agree! For those looking to reduce their carbon footprint, activate SmartThings Energy for energy-saving and cost-lowering tips. Now, let’s chat about Matter! How has Nanoleaf recently made an effort to work with all Matter-certified devices, and why is that so important? Nanoleaf: Nanoleaf’s new Essentials Matter Bulbs & Lightstrips are the first Matter-certified lighting available to customers today. Building this new foundation with Matter will make smart living easier for users and enable more powerful automations in the future.  How will SmartThings and Matter, along with Connectivity Standards Alliance, work together to simplify the lives of smart home owners?  SmartThings: We truly believe Matter is the foundation and future of IoT! With this new standard, Matter-enabled devices will join numerous products and brands already available within our ecosystem, like Nanoleaf, to simplify the smart home. The integration of Matter allows our partners, along with Samsung’s Galaxy devices, TVs and Family Hub appliances, to have the most versatile connectivity options through the SmartThings app. You can learn more about that here: https://smartthings.com/matter.  We see smart home technology as a way to uplift your everyday living and meaningful moments. Where do you see the space heading in the next 5-10 years? Nanoleaf: We agree! The future of the Smart Home will evolve with more powerful automations that simply work, without any manual controls needed. With our upcoming Sense+ Controls line, we envision a hands-free lighting experience with your lights turning on exactly when and how you need them.  Where does SmartThings see the smart home space heading in the next 5-10 years? SmartThings: Smart Homes have gone from a niche market to an everyday experience, with most homes having between 5-7 connected devices. It’s so important that these devices connect to one another easily! The next 5-10 years will mean working with Matter partners like Nanoleaf to streamline and advance the future of smart living. Thanks again, Nanoleaf and Mr. Chu for chatting with us. Stay tuned for more Q&As with our partners on Twitter! 

Since 2013, we’ve proudly partnered with Aeotec, the leading maker of high-quality, everyday smart home products. What’s even more exciting is that their products, like the Aeotec Smart Home Hub, are exclusive and compatible with the SmartThings App, and connect to Works with SmartThings-certified devices, including Z-Wave, Zigbee, or Wi-Fi devices. We sat down with Aeotec to discuss how their products work with SmartThings — and how they keep users connected to their homes. Here’s what we learned. Aeotec Smart Home Hub First things, first. What do you need in order to set up a smart home with Aeotec and SmartThings? All you need is the Aeotec Smart Home Hub, which acts as the brain of your smart home, and Aeotec devices such as Actuators – light switches, cameras, smart doorbells, alarm systems, etc. – and Smart Sensors for security, home energy-use monitoring, and more. Simply download the SmartThings app and follow the app’s step-by-step instructions for connecting the device. That’s great! What are the benefits of using Aeotec and SmartThings? A solid and reliable smart home! Using the SmartThings app, you can automate and control all of Aeotec’s smart devices and products from hundreds of other brands to build a system that works for you and your needs. Can Aeotec-connected devices be controlled from anywhere?  Our app lets you easily control and monitor Aeotec devices no matter where you are. You can also do so with other smart home appliances like Samsung TVs, refrigerators, cooktops, washers and dryers, AC, air purifiers, and more. What about compatibility? Can you control devices from various manufacturers with SmartThings?  Yes! The SmartThings app lets you personalize your smart home. For example, you can use Aeotec products with Samsung devices or Z-Wave sensors with Zigbee light bulbs. Last question. Will the Aeotec Smart Home Hub support Matter in the future? Yes, the Aeotec Smart Home Hub supports Matter and is certified as a Thread border router. Matter will be the de-facto standard in every home, offering consumers interoperability between devices, flexibility, and more choices when purchasing connected home devices. Thank you, Aeotec!  Learn more about how Aeotec works with SmartThings here, and stay tuned for more partner spotlights on our blog and Q&As with our innovative partners on Twitter! 

We brought “Calm” to CES 2023, with an up-close look at how SmartThings can seamlessly integrate into your daily lives through our latest innovations. While many of our announcements stood out among exhibitors, the new SmartThings Station received the most buzz and excitement from both the media and industry. Want to know more? Read on for all of our highlights and stand-out announcements. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwHVc9bzle0&t=2s Bringing Calm to Our Connected World We believe your smart home should work for you — and create a sustainable, safe, convenient (and even fun) living environment. While we have big dreams for what a calm connected world looks like, we demonstrated it at CES through the onboarding experience. In 2023, when you buy a Samsung device, SmartThings will simply ask you if you want to add it to your connected home. Instead of several steps to onboard the device, you only need to answer yes or no, making it more convenient for you to experience connected, smart living. Hub Everywhere Furthering our mission for Hub Everywhere, we introduced two new Matter-capable hubs for 2023: our TVs and the new SmartThings Station, a compact, wireless charger that also doubles as a hub to connect your smart home devices and create routines. Ready for bed? Just program the Station to automatically turn off your lights and TV for a custom night routine. Sustainability Saving energy matters now more than ever, which is why we’re placing sustainability at the core of our user experience. At CES, we announced our initiatives for sustainable living and commitment to making Net Zero Homes a reality with SmartThings Energy — a tool that’ll give you real-time data on your energy, water, and natural gas usage to help you reduce your carbon footprint (and your monthly energy bill). Because of our sustainability efforts, our connected home experience is the first mass-market Smart Home Energy Management System (SHEMS) to earn Energy Star certification. SmartThings in the News With an emphasis on our innovative technology and smart home solution, we received many awards and accolades during CES 2023. One of the most notable is the “Best of CES” award from Engadget for our ability to control connected devices throughout the home seamlessly. We also earned the “CES Innovations” award from the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) for making smart home technology more accessible and user-friendly. The accolades didn’t stop there. Cementing our status as the most versatile and comprehensive smart home solution on the market, we were featured across top-tier, tech and consumer media outlets including Bloomberg, The Verge, CNET, TechCrunch, Men’s Journal, and USA Today’s Reviewed. CES 2023 was a success, and we could not have done it without our partners, customers, and employees. Stay tuned for more updates on our latest products and innovations, as we further our commitment to creating one simple home system with a world of possibilities. 

This month marks the 10th anniversary of SmartThings as a company. Through our journey, we have laid the foundation for the next generation of the smart home, and we have made significant shifts all for the benefit of our users.  Since the early days, our goal of making a platform that every human being can use – and making every home a smart home – has remained the same. We’re driven by the idea of accelerating IoT adoption for everyone and helping consumers across the world realize the benefits of a seamless and simple connected life.  Looking Back the Progress We’ve Made  Years ago, the idea of a smart home was more of a novelty than a reality. In 2011, Alex Hawkinson developed the idea for SmartThings after his family's house in Colorado was extensively damaged from a power outage, causing tens of thousands in repairs. While the idea of a “smart home” was depicted in movies and TV shows, there was no real solution that could give consumers an accurate depiction of what was going on inside their home.  This was the basis of the company’s Kickstarter in 2012. The campaign received over $1.2 million from 5,700 backers, due to a simple idea: adding intelligence to everyday things would make life more awesome. The company was committed to changing the mindset about smart home technology, demonstrating that data about how people live and what they do have the power to solve everyday problems.  This caught on, and others began taking notice. In 2013, Wired highlighted SmartThings as a key leader in the emerging smart home automation space, and we launched our first line of commercial products at CES in 2014.  The opportunity to bring SmartThings’ vision to hundreds of millions of customers truly came to life when Samsung acquired SmartThings in August 2014 to accelerate its connected appliance strategy. With the backing of Samsung, making every home a smart home was no longer a pipe dream – it was only a matter of time.  Moving Toward Mass Smart Home Adoption  Driven by the goal of achieving mass smart home adoption through a unified and intelligent home experience, we innovated from a single line of commercial products into one of the largest integrated ecosystems.  Today, SmartThings works with hundreds of compatible devices, including lights, cameras, voice assistants, locks, thermostats and more, through partnerships with leading brands like Amazon, Honeywell, Arlo, and Google Home Assistant. The company has also brought the groundbreaking smart home interoperability standard, Matter, into the SmartThings ecosystem.  In just ten years, we have risen to become the most robust smart home IoT platform in the market. We are proud that SmartThings now has:     200+ global partners and the ability to integrate with thousands of devices 800+ talented employees across Samsung who are dedicated to SmartThings15 categories of supported devices, from voice assistants to window treatment and more9 add-on services in the SmartThings' app today, including Air Care, Clothing Care, Cooking, Energy, Home Care, Pet Care, Smart Lock Guest Access, Find, and Home Monitor 4.5 stars rating in the Google Play Store and a 4.3 rating in the iOS App Store  Looking back on all that we have accomplished, we’re grateful to our wonderful partners and developers. Good things happen when devices talk to one another, and without our strong partnerships, creating meaningful connecting living experiences would not be possible. As we continue the path toward mass smart home adoption, we’re focused on creating experiences with consumers at the center. While solutions like SmartThings enable a more connected living experience, consumers are at the heart of our business – the ones who bring smart homes to life by supporting all their big life moments. We’re excited about the future and the opportunity to make smart home living the norm for consumers in the next ten years and beyond.

In August, we shared the beta release of SmartThings Edge – a new hub architecture that allows hub connected devices to execute locally. SmartThings Edge creates smart home experiences that are more reliable and faster. Now, developers and hobbyists can build and consume custom device drivers in a much easier way. Since the beta launch, SmartThings has partnered with Aeotec, Leviton, Kwikset, Somfy North America, Yale, and August to transform connectivity and the smart home experience in a noticeable way. SmartThings Edge’s advanced technology increases the speed of automation for consumers by eliminating the need for cloud-based processing, bringing all the information directly to the Hub. This not only streamlines events and commands but also allows for local device support on a home network. This local device support decreases latency and increases reliability. All Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Wi-Fi devices can run locally on the Hub, with the ability to connect more protocols and standards, including Matter, in the future. Previously, our developers were required to copy and paste code into their Samsung IDE accounts to distribute and leverage custom device type handlers for hub connected devices. With SmartThings Edge comes the introduction of the new driver sharing feature, an easy-to-use and time efficient alternative for community distribution and consumption. SmartThings users can now share custom device drivers with a simple web link – eliminating the need to copy and paste code. While device manufacturers are still encouraged to submit their drivers to SmartThings for WWST certification and distribution via the SmartThings catalog, the Driver Sharing feature can also be used to distribute custom drivers that partners may want to test before officially releasing integrations.  New drivers are regularly being added. Our latest release includes Zigbee range extenders, Z-Wave buttons, water leak sensors, contact sensors, smoke detectors, and humidity sensors.  SmartThings Edge is the latest innovation in SmartThings technology, representing the company’s commitment to developing solutions for global developer networks – thereby improving the next generation of smart home experiences.