Recent Articles

April 15, 2024

Embrace Green Routines with SmartThings Energy

As Earth Month continues, SmartThings Energy and our Works with SmartThings certified partners will help keep your smart home sustainable and efficient. People today are more deliberate in their energy use, but we may not always know how to be more efficient with our everyday devices and appliances, like heating and lighting.  Are you looking to build better energy routines but not sure where to start? First, activate SmartThings Energy in the SmartThings app. This service tells you which devices take up the most energy, offers tips to save energy with (AI) Energy Mode, and assists in automating your routines for maximum efficiency. Next, read through our tips to build green routines you can start now. Windows & Shades Windows contribute 25%–30% of the energy consumed for heating and cooling in residential spaces due to heat gain and heat loss. With the inconsistent weather this time of year, you may be fiddling with your windows and AC more often and may forget the status of every window.  Fortunately, Aqara’s Door and Window Sensor will alert you if a window is left open, so you remember to close it before you leave the house. Their smart curtain controllers save you energy, too. Natural light from the sun may warm up your home, leading you to turn up the AC. Aqara’s curtain controllers allow you to easily open and close the curtains from wherever you are, using the SmartThings app. Smart Plugs Forget to unplug the coffee maker before work? With Eve smart plugs and power meters, you never have to worry about wasted energy again. Use SmartThings to control these Matter-compatible devices from anywhere, track their energy consumption, and even set timers for them to optimize energy usage. By monitoring individual devices' power usage and monthly costs, you can make informed decisions to lower utility bills. For example, create a routine that triggers plugged-in appliances to switch on and off based on whether someone is coming or leaving home.  Smart plugs also reduce “phantom power” - the electricity devices drain even when you think they’re off. Dimmers & Switches If you forget to turn off a light before leaving a room or going on vacation, turn it off from wherever you are in the SmartThings app, thanks to TP-Link | Kasa Smart light switches and dimmers.  Create a routine to automatically toggle a switch upon detecting someone entering or leaving a room and activate the switch when it detects motion. SmartThings and our innovative partners will help reduce your carbon footprint, cut down on electricity bills, and make your smart home as comfortable and kind to the planet as possible.  This Earth Month, do #DoTheSmartThings and download the SmartThings app in the Google Play or Apple Store to activate SmartThings Energy and build a greener, more sustainable home.
May 11, 2023

Q&A: SmartThings and Nanoleaf on How We Keep Smart Homes Simple

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! 
September 1, 2022

SmartThings and Philips Hue Create First-of-Its-Kind Immersive Music Experiences

In an ongoing quest to enhance our ecosystem of compatible devices, we are pleased to announce an expanded partnership with Philips Hue to transform music listening into an immersive experience. Through a new integration with Hue Sync into the SmartThings platform, Galaxy users will be able to sync their Philips Hue lights to most music streaming services right from their smartphone or tablet. With nearly 20% of U.S. consumers owning a smart light, this feature allows users to easily connect their Philips Hue lights via Hue Sync on the SmartThings app – allowing users to seamlessly control, customize, and sync their lights to various music streaming services from their Galaxy mobile device to turn their smart home into the ultimate home entertainment center. Philips Hue has been a longtime partner of SmartThings, offering full-home control of smart devices when pairing Philips Hue lights with SmartThings. For years, users have been able to connect Philips Hue lights to any Samsung device with the SmartThings app, creating scenes that activate not only light bulbs but also smart blinds or televisions, making the home truly a smart home. As a leader in smart home technology, we are thrilled to offer SmartThings users the ability to sync their music and lights to create their ideal home experiences – whether for a dinner party, movie night, or workout session. We are excited about this new level of personalization and believe it will set the tone for next-generation connected living.
April 15, 2016

A Light That Can Make Her Feel Like a Princess

Bedtime becomes magical for one small SmartThings user. (more…)
March 24, 2015

Save $30 on the Energy Saver Kit

Creating a smarter, healthier planet starts at home. Through 11:59 p.m. EST on March 31, we're taking $30 off the price of the SmartThings Energy Saver Kit and offering it for just $169. There's no promo code necessary: Simply add it to your cart in the SmartThings Shop, and the $30 savings will automatically be applied at checkout. We think that lights should be smarter. They currently account for nearly 35% of a home's energy usage, and they have a big impact on our planet–which just experienced the warmest winter on record. The Energy Saver Kit helps you live green and save some green by allowing you to control, monitor, and automate lights, electronics, and small appliances from your smartphone. By ensuring that your lights are off when no one is in the room or by setting your electronics to shut off when not in use, you can slash your energy bill and help contribute to a healthier planet. Here are a few more things you can do with the Energy Saver Kit: Control & monitor your lights, electronics, and small appliances from anywhere. Restrict electricity flow to electronics or appliances after a set period of time. So, for example, you can set the total time for an appliance (such as a curling iron or TV) to be in use. Set devices to turn off after you or your kids leave to avoid having to worry about them or check them. Power your portable or window A/C units (12A max load) from anywhere and, with the help of a Multi sensor, also triggering them to automatically shut off or turn on if rooms in your home reach a set temperature.  
March 23, 2015

Hello, Smart Home: Sid & Kokil

When Sid and Kokil first moved to their new neighborhood, they heard some strange noises from the surrounding hills late at night. They turned to SmartThings to help monitor and secure their home from unwanted visitors–including the wild coyotes in the area (eek!). (more…)
March 2, 2015

Smart Weather Lamp

The weather can always keep you guessing, but thanks to an ingenious creation from a member of the SmartThings Community, it doesn't have to. Check out how Jim is using SmartThings to visually show what the forecast has in store for him each day at his home's exact location. (more…)
January 22, 2015

New In-Wall Switches in the Shop

We're happy to introduce three new in-wall light switches to the SmartThings Shop! (more…)
December 10, 2014

[VIDEO] Hello, Smart Home: Rob

See how Rob and his family are using SmartThings to secure their home, save energy, and kick back after dark. (more…)