SmartThings to control Samsung's smart appliances
The Korean conglomerate is putting its newest smart home acquisition to work, integrating its line of connected appliances into the SmartThings ecosystem.
- 10 years product testing experience with the CNET Home team
The home automation platform SmartThings debuted new controls for Samsung appliances today at the Korean conglomerate's second annual Developer Conference in San Francisco. It's an unsurprising development, given that Samsung acquired SmartThings outright back in August of this year, and recently pledged to expand its slate of smart-home offerings.
The new integrations include Samsung's connected refrigerators and washing machines , along with air conditioners and robot vacuums that aren't yet sold in the US. Currently available in North America only, SmartThings is expected to roll out internationally sometime in 2015.
With a SmartThings hub plugged into your home router, you'll be able to monitor the status of your Samsung smart appliances right on your phone via the SmartThings app. If you've got a Samsung smart refrigerator in your kitchen, you'll be able to check the temperature or humidity level, or receive an alert if the door gets left open. Additionally, you'll be able to broadcast important smart home alerts to the screen that's built into the refrigerator door. For instance, if a SmartThings moisture sensor detects a leak in the basement, the fridge will give you a heads up.
The washing machine and air conditioner integrations are more focused on saving energy -- and money. With Samsung's air conditioner in your window, you'll be able to track your energy usage and control the temperature remotely or automatically -- similar to what you'll find with the Quirky Aros . You'll enjoy remote control and alerts for the washing machine, too, along with the ability to set it to run overnight, when energy rates are the least expensive.
As for Samsung's robot vacuum, SmartThings is promising a smart scheduling feature, along with push alerts whenever a cycle is complete, or when the dust bin needs emptying. Samsung's also promising to leverage the vacuum's integrated camera and microphone for smart security purposes. If SmartThings detects unexpected motion somewhere in your home, it can send the vacuum to investigate.
SmartThings remains an open platform with a robust base of developers and hobbyists, so expect these integrations to expand as the community inevitably tinkers around. SmartThings founder and CEO Alex Hawkinson reiterated the startup's support for this type of broad development, saying, "We are deeply committed to maintaining an open user platform which, for the user, means more opportunities for devices to communicate and flexibility to choose whichever brand and design they prefer."
As for Samsung, the brand plans on continuing to roll out new product integrations for SmartThings users. There's no word on specific plans or timetables yet, even for the integrations demoed today, but Samsung tells us that users should be able to start using them "soon."
In addition, Samsung sits as a member in Google's Thread Group, which aims to unite the Internet of Things and also includes the Nest Learning Thermostat , Silicon Labs, and Big Ass Fans as founding members. Look for potential appliance integrations under that standard further down the line.