SmartThings is here, StartThings is there, SmartThings will be everywhere.
What you need to know
- Samsung announced the launch of Home Hub, a smart home controller display for SmartThings connected devices.
- The device will first debut in South Korea, and there is no news about global expansion.
- SmartThings Hub is being integrated into more Samsung’s smart home appliances.
- Samsung has also become a founding member of the Home Connectivity Alliance.
Samsung’s CES existence did not end with the long-awaited launch of the Galaxy S21 FE. On Tuesday, the company took the stage to announce its latest efforts in the field of smart homes and Samsung’s connected ecosystem, SmartThings. Although the company announced a large number of smart home products, such as Bespoke household appliances, it also introduced a new Home Hub display for controlling and monitoring devices.
At first glance, Samsung’s Home Hub is just a tablet with a dock, but it’s actually much more than that. This seems to be the point.
Home Hub is a dedicated display that allows you to easily access and use all smart home controls. The interface is the same as Samsung’s SmartThings app, with tabs for accessing devices, automation, favorites, and various SmartThings services.
Samsung remained silent on the details of the Home Hub, but stated that it “integrates with AI-connected devices to simplify home management.” Samsung seems to have been focusing on smart home control, omitting the extra entertainment features that can be found on some of the best smart displays such as the Amazon Echo Show 15.
Unfortunately, Home Hub will only be available in South Korea sometime this year, and there are currently no known plans for a global launch.
However, Samsung is also taking steps to expand its SmartThings Hub technology by further integrating it into its devices. This will enable Samsung TVs, monitors and even refrigerators to act as SmartThings hubs to connect and control other devices in the home. These functions will be provided for some Samsung products throughout this year.
In addition, Samsung also announced that it is a founding member of the Home Connectivity Alliance (HCA), which aims to allow smart appliances to work together seamlessly, no matter who makes them. This sounds a lot like the Matter project in which Samsung is also involved, so this move is somewhat redundant. For now, we will have to wait to see how the plan will pair with Matter when the standard is launched later this year.
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