Living with SmartThings: A Connected Experience with the Galaxy S9/S9+

With the new SmartThings app, the Galaxy S9/S9+ can deliver a simple, smart, and seamless experience from morning to night – wherever life takes you. Take a look at how.

The connected universe – a world in which devices talk to each other and respond to your needs – holds at its core the promise to streamline everything in daily life by allowing you to seamlessly control multiple devices and simplify time-consuming tasks within an open ecosystem. But one of the challenges in building a world powered by the Internet of Things has been establishing a unified app, where individual devices can openly communicate regardless of their manufacturer and platform developer.

Building an Open and Seamless Ecosystem
This is why at Samsung, with our unmatched breadth of devices across a variety of categories, we have shared a vision of easy and seamless IoT from the early days of connectivity. We believe Samsung is in a unique position to build a better consumer experience through an open and connected ecosystem, not just with our own devices but with products of many other brands, to create a truly seamless IoT environment.

The journey toward this has been a long and continual one. One of the momentous steps we took to realize an easy-to-use ecosystem of connected devices was introducing Samsung Connect, which brought under the same roof apps like Samsung Smart View for multimedia viewing, Smart Home and other mobile devices. We also acquired SmartThings so we could expand our network to devices outside of the Samsung ecosystem. With each development, the reach of our platforms has grown steadily over time.

The next logical step for us was to think about full and open integration, which is why we shared our vision of open connectivity at last year’s IFA and displayed a series of new smart home innovations. At Samsung Developer Conference (SDC) 2017, we outlined how we would realize this vision by building the back-end infrastructure with a consolidated SmartThings Cloud and SmartThing API to which all developers would have access. Earlier this year at CES, we took this vision to the next level by announcing our commitment to deliver intelligent experiences by infusing Bixby into the consolidated SmartThings ecosystem by 2020.

To find out more about the vision we shared at SDC 2017, click the banner above.

This March¹, we will take yet another step forward in bringing a seamless and open IoT ecosystem to life by rolling out the all-new SmartThings app, which will break down barriers between several different applications – the legacy SmartThings app, Smart View, Smart Home, Samsung Connect, and Wireless Audio Multi-room  – that were undergoing gradual consolidation². With this change, users will be able to manage their connected devices from a single place, instead of having to use one app to turn off one appliance and a different one to control another. With SmartThings app, the fragmented IoT space will move toward an experience that’s as easy as flipping a switch.

The app migration will be just as simple. Most of the existing settings on each app will automatically be transferred through users’ Samsung accounts. Through their Samsung accounts on the new platform, they can easily manage their SmartThings-compatible devices from one central place. These devices are not limited to Samsung products, because we believe the definition of a seamless and open IoT experience is being inclusive – truly putting connectivity at people’s fingertips no matter what their existing ecosystem looks like.

Smarter Things
SmartThings app goes beyond simply combining separate apps and provides consumers with a more intuitive experience that starts with effortless logins. For example, instead of having to program a brand new Smart TV with user information, all consumers now have to do is turn the device on to establish a bluetooth connection with their mobile phone. In addition to effortless logins, with the new unified app, users can set up different “Scenes,” tailored to their individual tastes, and easily transform the ambiance of a room with multiple devices carrying out multiple commands. If you enjoy working out at home, you could set up a “Workout” scene on SmartThings app that would dim your lights, turn on the TV, and adjust the air conditioner – all with one tap or a single Bixby voice command.

The Power of Connectivity in Your Hand
At the center of this connected lifestyle is the Galaxy S9/S9+, which places all the tools you need to move throughout your day in the palm of your hand. SmartThings app will be preloaded for immediate use on the Galaxy S9 and S9+³, giving users a seamless and smart experience that simplifies life. The two smartphones also join a series of other SmartThings-compatible devices both in and outside of the Samsung Galaxy family to create a larger and open IoT ecosystem that will give consumers access to over 370 connected devices. Users of the Galaxy S8/S8+, the Galaxy Note8 as well as other SmartThings-suitable Android and iOS device users will also be able to download the new SmartThings app⁴, further expanding the open IoT ecosystem.

With the new SmartThings app, the Galaxy S9/S9+ can deliver a simple, smart and seamless experience from morning to night – wherever life takes you. Take a look at how.

¹ SmartThings app will be available worldwide in March 2018. Specific launch dates will be announced for each market upon availability. 
² Samsung Connect earlier incorporated Smart View, Smart Home and mobile devices.
³ Some users may need to set up their devices again. Not all features will be available with the initial release.
⁴ The new SmartThings app is available on Samsung smartphones running Android 5.0 or later. For non-Samsung devices, Android 6.0 or later is recommended. The new SmartThings app is also available on iPhone 6 or later versions running with iOS 10 or later.