The SmartThings Blog

SmartThings and Samsung believe devices should work together no matter the brand, and that’s where Matter comes into play. Matter ensures your smart home devices speak to each other, offering interoperability between devices and more flexibility.  With SmartThings, our ecosystem of innovative, consumer-friendly partners like AiDot, and the power of Matter, connecting compatible devices and systems to create a seamlessly integrated home is easier than flipping a light switch. AiDot, a leader in the IoT industry and trusted by millions of users, is a smart home platform that connects devices across brands and ecosystems. They offer a wide range of smart devices, including Matter-certified plugs, bulbs, switches, and more. Now, users can control AiDot’s products conveniently with the SmartThings app and make their smart home unified, more efficient, and fun. In our latest LinkedIn Q&A, we chatted with AiDot to discuss our partnership, how their products work with SmartThings, Matter, and more.  Browse the highlights below or keep reading for the full conversation.  The Highlights SmartThings: Since SmartThings and Matter devices from AiDot are compatible with one another, can you explain how to connect AiDot Matter products in the SmartThings app.  AiDot: Matter streamlines the device connection process for users. Before adding a device, ensure you have a supported Matter Controller. If a Matter device is in pairing mode, you may receive a notification in the SmartThings app, prompting you to begin the onboarding process. Alternatively, you can manually add an AiDot Matter device by opening the SmartThings app, selecting Add Device, and following the prompts to scan the barcode or enter the setup code. Once connected, you can customize settings such as the hub, room, and network, ensuring a seamless integration into your smart home ecosystem.  Connecting AiDot Matter products to SmartThings is super straightforward.  SmartThings: For someone who is new to the smart home space, what’s the first thing you would tell them about AiDot and Matter. AiDot: That's a tough question; there are so many great things about it! To sum it up, AiDot Matter delivers a number of benefits to smart home users including simple setup, unified device management, flexibility of hubs and voice assistants, and an open ecosystem that allows device selection based on features and pricing rather than compatibility. These advantages combine to create a seamless and consumer-friendly smart home experience with enhanced interoperability.  SmartThings: For those looking to explore your products for the first time, what would you recommend as the best use for AiDot in their daily routines? AiDot: We’re glad you asked! One of our favorite things is the endless unique automations that we hear our users have created. A great one that comes to mind is using a security camera’s motion detection as a trigger, and having that make lights inside and outside the home red to scare away intruders and warn the homeowner someone is in their yard.  A similar effect can be achieved with our water leak detectors, so in addition to a phone notification and an audible alarm, the lights in a room will turn blue if a leak has occurred. These particular ideas came from a hearing-impaired user within our community, and we just loved the ingenuity of them.  Our full conversation with AiDot SmartThings: Hey, AiDot Smart Home! Thank you for joining us for a Q&A today. First up, for those who are new to your brand, what is AiDot?  AiDot: Hey, SmartThings! Thanks for having us and a great first question. AiDot is a smart home platform that connects devices across brands and ecosystems. We also use Matter, a connectivity standard developed by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (formerly known as the Zigbee Alliance), but we know SmartThings knows all about the power of Matter. SmartThings: We do! Matter is an important component of our ecosystem.  AiDot: Ours too! For anyone new to Matter, it establishes a cohesive smart home ecosystem, enabling devices from various manufacturers to operate seamlessly together, irrespective of their brand or communication protocol. Learn more about it at aidot.com/matter.  Can you help explain SmartThings to our followers who might not be familiar with the platform?  SmartThings: Of course! SmartThings is Samsung's smart home platform that enables users to connect, control, and automate a wide range of compatible devices through a unified mobile app. We are a comprehensive smart home solution, allowing connection and control of products from outside brands, too! For example, we are compatible with Matter devices from AiDot.  Since SmartThings and Matter devices from AiDot are compatible with one another, can you explain how to connect AiDot Matter products in the SmartThings app.  AiDot: Matter streamlines the device connection process for users. Before adding a device, ensure you have a supported Matter Controller. If a Matter device is in pairing mode, you may receive a notification in the SmartThings app, prompting you to begin the onboarding process. Alternatively, you can manually add an AiDot Matter device by opening the SmartThings app, selecting Add Device, and following the prompts to scan the barcode or enter the setup code. Once connected, you can customize settings such as the hub, room, and network, ensuring a seamless integration into your smart home ecosystem.  Connecting AiDot Matter products to SmartThings is super straightforward.  SmartThings: And, to make the process as simple as possible, you can #DoTheSmartThings and use the SmartThings app to scan the QR code on the Matter products. This process seamlessly integrates the AiDot Matter devices into the SmartThings ecosystem without any complicated setup. For users who are new to Matter, how can they identify a Matter product? AiDot: Identifying Matter products is easy! Just look for the official Matter logo on the product, its packaging, and its marketing materials. If it’s there, it’s Matter.  If an AiDot Matter user hasn’t set up their SmartThings Station yet, how can they get up and running? SmartThings: It’s simple to get started and the SmartThings Station offers so much for any smart home. After downloading the app, navigate to the Devices tab, tap Add (+), then By brand > Samsung > Smart Home Hub. Follow the on-screen instructions to connect your hub to your Wi-Fi network. Once set up, use the app to add and configure your other smart home devices (and your AiDot Matter devices, too!)  Speaking of getting set up, can you explain how users can set up their AiDot Matter Smart Home? AiDot: Establishing a Matter-enabled smart home couldn’t be simpler. Begin by selecting Matter-compatible devices from leading brands such as Samsung, SmartThings, AiDot, and many more. The setup process is simple, as Matter provides easy-to-follow instructions to connect devices to your home network. Download the app for your smart home ecosystem of choice. Then simply add your Matter devices to the app, where they will seamlessly integrate into your smart home setup.  Come to think of it, we should probably talk about Matter Controllers. SmartThings: Yes! A Matter Controller is a multipurpose hub incorporated into other devices. AiDot: Exactly! It can be baked into other devices, removing the need for a dedicated single-purpose hub device. Some devices you already have may be, or have the capability to become, a Matter Controller. Examples include smart speakers, Wi-Fi routers, digital displays, home assistant devices, entertainment devices and more. Even the SmartThings wireless phone charger can serve as a Matter Controller. You may even see this technology introduced to the likes of fridges and TVs. And if you happen to have multiple Matter Controllers in your home, that will only serve to make your network even more powerful as they’ll communicate and work together rather than competing to control your smart home devices. SmartThings It’s great to see how much AiDot has incorporated Matter into its products. For someone who is new to the smart home space, what’s the first thing you would tell them about AiDot and Matter. AiDot: That's a tough question; there are so many great things about it! To sum it up, AiDot Matter delivers a number of benefits to smart home users including simple setup, unified device management, flexibility of hubs and voice assistants, and an open ecosystem that allows device selection based on features and pricing rather than compatibility. These advantages combine to create a seamless and consumer-friendly smart home experience with enhanced interoperability.  Since you mentioned automations, what kind of routines can SmartThings help users create? SmartThings: Dare we say… all of them? With the SmartThings app, you can automate just about anything. Whether it’s controlling your home's lighting, monitoring your pets, or setting up wellness routines, just like AiDot and Matter, we have you covered.  For those looking to explore your products for the first time, what would you recommend as the best use for AiDot in their daily routines? AiDot: We’re glad you asked! One of our favorite things is the endless unique automations that we hear our users have created. A great one that comes to mind is using a security camera’s motion detection as a trigger and having that make lights inside and outside the home red to scare away intruders and warn the homeowner someone is in their yard.  A similar effect can be achieved with our water leak detectors, so in addition to a phone notification and an audible alarm, the lights in a room will turn blue if a leak has occurred. These particular ideas came from a hearing-impaired user within our community, and we just loved the ingenuity of them.  Of course, these are just a few examples of the many custom solutions users can create with the AiDot app and AiDot products, and we encourage new users to give it a try themselves. SmartThings: Well, that was very informative! Thank you to our partners at AiDot Smart Home for chatting with us today! It was great learning about AiDot and how you're using Matter-enabled devices to enhance the smart home experience. Want to know more? #DoTheSmartThings and send us a message! AiDot: Thank you for having us SmartThings! 

In the ever-evolving world of smart home technology, compatibility and connectivity are paramount. The ability to seamlessly integrate different devices and platforms is what makes the smart home experience truly smart. At SmartThings, we constantly work to expand our ecosystem and ensure users have the flexibility to choose, connect, and control a wide range of devices. Today, we are thrilled to take that commitment a major step further by announcing support for third-party Matter bridges.  What Are Matter Bridges?  Matter bridges are a critical piece of the puzzle when creating a unified and interoperable smart home ecosystem. They serve as connectors, allowing device makers with non-Matter devices (such as Zigbee, Z-Wave, and proprietary connectivity) to seamlessly integrate with Matter ecosystems. These bridges represent non-Matter devices on a Matter network, and vice versa, acting as translators to facilitate communication between devices on either side of the bridge. Many popular brands have announced their hubs — including millions already in homes today — will act as Matter bridges, allowing SmartThings users to connect hundreds of new devices.  A Seamless Integration Experience  One of the key benefits of SmartThings' support for third-party Matter bridges is the effortless onboarding process. When users commission Matter bridges to SmartThings, we take care of the heavy lifting by automatically onboarding all bridged devices, ensuring a hassle-free setup.  We also continually synchronize with the bridge, so that if a user adds or removes a bridged device in your app, SmartThings responds immediately, updating to reflect those changes. This real-time synchronization ensures users always have an accurate view of their smart home.  Expanding Reach with Works With SmartThings  We know developers are eager to reach a broader audience. That's why we're excited to announce support for bridges is also coming to the Works With SmartThings program. This expansion creates new opportunities for developers to promote bridges and bridge-connected devices to millions of Samsung users.  With Works With SmartThings, manufacturers can promote their products to a vast and diverse community of users who are looking to start and grow their smart homes. It's a powerful platform for showcasing devices and driving adoption among users who value compatibility and interoperability with their Samsung devices and SmartThings-powered homes.  SmartThings' support for third-party Matter bridges gives users more choices in the devices they enable their smart home with and gives developers more choices in how they integrate those devices. We're proud to continue leading interoperability and openness in the smart home industry and invite developers to join us on our journey. Interested in learning more? Contact us at partners@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. 

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! 

Matter, a new industry protocol created by hundreds of leading and innovative companies (including Samsung), marks a new era for the smart home and its users. With a mission of simplifying the connected living experience, Matter makes it easy for users to buy, set up, and control smart devices. And while the new protocol is stirring a lot of buzz, many are wondering “how does it work?” Our Marketing and Strategy Consultant, Daniel Moneta, who is also one of the leads of the Matter working group, let us in on everything you need to know about Matter (and how you’re likely already prepared to use it!). Thanks for chatting with us, Daniel. Can you explain Matter in one sentence or less to someone who's never heard of it? Sure! Matter is an open-standard, common language for smart home devices that makes it way easier to get them set up and working together. What devices connect with Matter? Matter supports many of today’s most common smart home categories, with more to come in the future! Look for lights, plugs, blinds, door locks, thermostats, sensors, and other devices that have the Matter logo. That’s exciting! Is Matter a new kind of radio technology? Nope. Matter is an “application layer”, which means it can run over technologies already in your homes or devices — like Wi-Fi or Thread. Think of it like this: you and I can both have the same radio, but unless we speak the same language, we can’t really do anything interesting together. Technologies like Wi-Fi and Thread let you connect your devices, and Matter is the language they speak to each other. What is Thread, and how is it related to Matter? Matter devices can talk to each other over Ethernet (wired network), Wi-Fi, a new technology called Thread, or any combination. Thread is a new, wireless networking technology. Like Wi-Fi, Thread is based on Internet Protocol (or IP), so Thread devices join your home network just like any other kind of device. Thread is low power, and uses mesh networking to extend devices’ range, so it’s commonly found in battery-powered devices or ones that might be placed farther away from your home router.  In order to join your network, Thread devices connect through a “Thread Border Router”, a kind of bridge device that joins your Thread network to your Wi-Fi or wired network (just like an access point or router does for Wi-Fi). Thread Border Routers from any brand can be used to connect Thread devices, and many are built-in to devices including smart home hubs, smart speakers, and lighting. The latest SmartThings Hub, SmartThings Station, Samsung TVs, and Samsung Family Hub refrigerators have Thread Border Routers built in. How will Matter impact the lives of people who use multiple smart home devices on a daily basis? Matter makes smart home devices more responsive and reliable because devices connect to each other directly within the home instead of going through the cloud. And its simple, standard setup process makes it easy and consistent to add new devices to your home, no matter the brand.Does Matter need to be installed or will existing smart home devices be updated to support the protocol? Odds are you’re already set for Matter! Major smart home platforms — including SmartThings of course — have already updated most of their hubs (or products with hubs in them like TVs or smart speakers) to support new Matter devices.  As for the devices, a number of existing smart home devices can be updated to Matter. Check with your favorite brands to find out how. But don’t worry: your existing non-Matter devices won’t stop working, and you can still control and automate Matter and non-Matter devices together in SmartThings. Tell us more about smart home hubs. Do users need a hub to use Matter? Yes, but you probably already have one! Matter devices connect locally, so you need a controller (or “hub”) from your favorite smart home platform to connect to and control devices when you’re at home, or away. Most smart home platforms — including SmartThings of course — have already updated devices like hubs, TVs, and smart speakers to be Matter controllers for their users. Thank you, Daniel. Visit our website to learn more about Matter and how it works with SmartThings.

As part of our effort to simplify setup and provide customers with increased choice and flexibility, Samsung is teaming up with Amazon to make it easy for customers to use SmartThings, Samsung’s connected living platform, or the Alexa service, to set up Matter devices once and control them using both smart home systems. Samsung and Amazon’s collaboration will allow customers to easily tap into Matter's multi-admin feature, as well as simplify onboarding while creating a unified Thread network in the home. Customers that opt-in will be able to control their Matter devices with both SmartThings and Alexa without having to set up devices on each smart home system. By sharing Thread network credentials, customers will benefit from streamlined setup for Thread based devices and a more reliable experience through wider coverage on a single Thread network. “SmartThings customers have long enjoyed using Alexa's voice capabilities to give them more ways to control the home. We are excited to work with Amazon to help simplify the smart home experience and provide more choice to our mutual customers on the types of devices and services they use in their homes.” said Jaeyeon Jung, Corporate Vice President and Head of SmartThings, Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. “This collaboration ultimately provides further interoperability and will help ensure the potential of Matter is fully realized.” This collaboration is built upon upcoming Alexa APIs enabling bi-directional multi-admin simple setup and Thread credential sharing for Matter devices. These cloud-based APIs are designed to make complex technology fade into the background, allowing customers to effortlessly add Matter devices to their preferred services, realizing Matter’s promise of simplifying our customers’ smart home experience.

As the anticipation and excitement grows for the Matter standard, we have accelerated our progress, today announcing a Partner Early Access Program with select strategic companies to test their first-ever Matter-compatible products. We’re thrilled to welcome Aeotec, Aqara, Eve Systems, Leedarson, Nanoleaf, Netatmo, Sengled, Wemo, WiZ and Yale into this exclusive program. As a founding member of Matter, we are excited about this development, as well as the opportunity for partners to test their devices and Matter interoperability with Hub-enabled devices and through the SmartThings app. Additionally, partners can use the SmartThings app for seamless onboarding of their devices.  As pioneers in the smart home industry from the very beginning, we strongly believe that Matter will become the de facto standard in every smart home in the world. This is why we have, and will continue to, invest heavily in Matter.  At our annual Samsung Developer Conference, we announced Matter will allow Samsung’s Galaxy devices, TVs, and Family Hub appliances to have the most versatile connectivity options through SmartThings. Integrating SmartThings hub functionality into these devices will make it easier for users to experience the benefits of connected living without the need for a separate smart home hub. While the launch of Matter later this year remains a significant milestone for SmartThings and the Connectivity Standards Alliance, the Partner Early Access Program has created tremendous near-term excitement for SmartThings and select companies. It reflects the increasing demand for more interoperable, flexible, and private, smart home solutions that have the power to make mass smart home adoption a not so far reality.

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.