Recent Articles

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 28, 2022

Celebrating 10 Years of SmartThings

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.
October 26, 2021

SmartThings Edge Provides Reliable, Faster Smart Home Experiences

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.
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
January 8, 2021

Feel Safe at Home in the New Year with Arlo

In our ongoing quest to enhance our ecosystem of compatible devices, we are pleased to announce a new version of the Works With SmartThings integration, built in partnership with Arlo. The integration rounds out our portfolio of home security products by letting you connect to any Arlo device1, including their latest security products. Beyond adding support for more Arlo devices, this new integration enhances the overall user experience with improved stability and reduced latency so you can get faster access to your camera recordings or video doorbell feed. Users will still be able to enjoy the same features they most commonly use, such as turning all Arlo cameras on/off when arming/disarming the SmartThings Home Monitor, or using the Arlo camera sound sensor to trigger a siren or get lights to turn on, and more. The process is simple to integrate Arlo with SmartThings, and users will be able to leverage powerful Automations and Scenes to create rich personalized connected home experiences. For example, keeping an eye on the nursery from your Samsung TV with an Arlo Baby camera, or connecting your Arlo video doorbell to answer the door from your Samsung Family Hub fridge. During this new normal where we spend a lot more time at home, we are committed to bringing smart functionality and capabilities everywhere you want it to be, and partnerships like Arlo help us meet your needs of personalizing your home — whether it’s giving you peace of mind that your home is protected inside and out, or bringing you the convenience of knowing exactly when your packages arrive. 1 Arlo Go and Audio Doorbell are not supported by the integration.
December 8, 2020

Samsung SmartThings and Google Join Forces to Enhance Smart Homes With Nest Integration

New integration allows SmartThings users to control Nest devices Today we announced a partnership with Google, bringing the company’s portfolio of Nest products into SmartThings, one of the largest IoT ecosystems. Through the integration, Google Nest devices, including thermostats, cameras and doorbells, will be “Works With SmartThings” (WWST) certified, allowing users to seamlessly control their smart homes through SmartThings. For the first time, SmartThings users will be able to adjust a Nest thermostat, view live camera feeds from outdoor Nest cameras and hear who is at the door with Nest Hello, all through their smart devices. SmartThings users can also incorporate Nest devices into their current WWST-certified devices to create Scenes and automated experiences, controlling the functions with simple voice commands or through the SmartThings app. Soon, users will be able to stream right from their Nest devices directly to their Samsung TV or Family Hub fridge. SmartThings technology powers endless possibilities for enhancing everyday life. Scenes can seamlessly adjust the lighting. Automations can signal to a Nest thermostat when it’s time to adjust the temperature or if a window is open. It can set the optimal temperature for a baby’s nap or even a home alone pet, taking into consideration details such as its fur length. Users can also activate outdoor and indoor lights ahead of arriving home. “SmartThings technology continues to enhance and improve the way we experience smart living. We’re pleased to further strengthen our partnership with Google and integrate Nest into our portfolio to offer users more ways to control and automate their home,” said Ralf Elias, Global Vice President IoT / Business Development & Partnerships at Samsung Electronics. “We are committed to creating a universal system where all smart home devices can work cohesively together.” Following the recent SmartThings IoT integration with Mercedes-Benz, this partnership with Google represents the next step in SmartThings’ commitment to technology innovation and to working with third parties to create a universal smart home standard. The company is focused on simplifying smart technology development for manufacturers and increasing compatibility for consumers. SmartThings technology will be available on Google Nest products starting in January 2021.
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.
March 9, 2016

SmartThings on Windows Mobile

Updated - January 13, 2017 We had every intention of maintaining the Windows Mobile experience, as described below, at the time of this article's publication. Unfortunately, since then, we have made the tough decision to discontinue support for the Windows Mobile platform. For more information, please see this article. We are leaving the following content in place for future reference. Wondering what's going on with the SmartThings app on Windows Mobile? We've got an update from our development team. After our announcement earlier this week of version 2.1.0 of the app for iOS and Android, we wanted to assure our Windows Mobile customers that we haven't forgotten about you. We're incredibly proud to be one of the very few smart home systems that supports all three major phone platforms, and we wanted to make sure you had some insight into the development process. While we're always working to make sure you have a great SmartThings experience on any device you choose, we know that Windows Mobile users are anxiously awaiting an updated version of the app, so here's what's in store: Instead of doing a large app interface overhaul like we did with iOS and Android, we'll be releasing individual features over time. The size of each app development team is proportional to the number of SmartThings customers on that platform, so our Windows Mobile team is smaller (though no less dedicated!) than our iOS and Android teams. We plan to do these version releases approximately once a month with a primary focus on stability and bug fixes, but which will frequently be accompanied by updates to features, functionality, and design. What does that mean for you right now? Well, we hope to have Rooms capability in your hands in the coming days. Looking a little bit further down the road, rest assured that we'll continue rolling out updates and design changes – though these will follow (and be informed by) updates to iOS and Android.
March 7, 2016

A Better App Experience is Here

Want to find out what's new? We've got the details. (more…)