Skip to main content

Samsung launches refreshed SmartThings Hub in push to get inside your home

IFA 2024
This story is part of our coverage of IFA Berlin 2024

samsung smartthing iot devices deal smartthings
Samsung
Samsung’s much-anticipated IFA presentation in Berlin Thursday put the Internet of Things and the connected home front and center, with the company rolling out a slew of new products it hopes will revolutionize the way we live.

The press event kicked off with the revamped Hub from SmartThings, the open-platform smart-home startup that Samsung acquired last year for a reported $200 million.

Recommended Videos

The Hub supports whatever compatible smart sensors you decide to place around your home, and relays data over the Internet to and from the cross-platform SmartThings app, which, incidentally, has itself been given a makeover.

Samsung SmartThings

The refreshed Hub, which now incorporates a battery pack that’ll keep the system ticking along for up to 10 hours in the event of a power outage, comes with a new processor powerful enough to enable video monitoring, while improved performance means  it can now carry out some tasks locally without the need for an Internet connection.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Live streams from connected cameras can be accessed via the SmartThings app at any time, and alerts are sent when unexpected motion is detected inside your home. So whether it’s your dog knocking over a potted plant or a burglar stealing your laptop (and possibly your lovingly curated collection of Star Wars DVDs, too), you’ll know about it within seconds and will be able to act accordingly.

While SmartThings offers its own range of newly designed sensors, other companies are also building their own devices for the platform, with several hundred devices detecting everything from motion to temperature to leaks currently available for around $30 to $50 each.

An Overview of the New SmartThings App

The Hub is available online now for $99, with brick-and-mortar stores stocking it from next month. The kit will also make its way to U.K. shores on September 10, with consumers offered a £199 starter pack comprising the Hub, three sensors (motion, presence, open/close for doors and windows), and a SmartOutlet power switch for turning an appliance on or off. And more sensors are on the way.

Of course, Samsung isn’t the only outfit vying to get into your home. Besides plenty of smaller startups, giants like Google, for example, recently unveiled Project Brillo that sits alongside its range of Nest products, while Samsung rival Apple is hoping its HomeKit system will prove a hit with iOS users looking to automate their homes.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
How to program your smart hub to scare the pants off of you
Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights strung up on a house at night for Halloween.

Halloween is just around the corner. Smart devices are getting more compatible than ever now that the Matter standard is rolling out, and there are new releases for everything from the latest Nest video doorbell to the new Echo Dot 5th-gen smart speaker. That makes it a great time to celebrate the season with a few spooky additions to your home.

Your smart hubs now have more options than ever, and we’ve got plenty of ideas to help you get started with your scares -- whether you want some mild spooks for the kids or plan to make your friends furiously terrified. Let’s get started!
Set your porch up for a maximum scare

Read more
Samsung and Google partnership finds a shared home for SmartThings
The Google Nest Audio speaker on a table.

Matter — the interoperability protocol that will bring smart devices from different brands under a single umbrella of control — is less than a month away from its official launch. Ahead of the grand reveal, Samsung and Google have announced a partnership that adds a convenient element of interoperability to their respective smart home ecosystems.

Sounds confusing? Well, here’s the easy breakdown. Samsung, in collaboration with partner brands, sells a wide range of smart home devices, from doorbells and switches to lights and garage door openers. However, barely a few of those SmartThings gadgets worked seamlessly with Google’s Home app for controlling smart home gizmos.

Read more
Ikea launches Matter-enabled Dirigera smart hub and app
The new IKEA DIRIGERA hub sitting on books in front of a mirror next to a plant.

Ikea announced a new smart hub and app that will be coming out later this year. The hub is called Dirigera and will be Matter-ready. The hub will be accompanied by the release of the company's new Ikea Home smart app.

In 2014, Ikea launched its Trådfri smart hub, which handles the smart products that Ikea sells now. According to user feedback, the hub is limited in the products it supports, and the app that pairs with it isn’t the easiest to use. The Trådfri is the primary way to connect to Ikea’s line of lights, speakers, blinds, and an air purifier that are available now. With that feedback, Ikea began to work on a new smart home hub and companion app -- enter the Dirigera.
Slim design, more connections

Read more