Samsung aims to popularize SmartThings

All News 07:36 September 02, 2022

By Woo Jae-yeon

BERLIN, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. will work toward popularizing its home automation platform this year, in a bid to help provide a connected and sustainable home life, its top executive has said.

"For Samsung to grow together with the young generations, it should offer them sustainable experience, let alone technological innovations," Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Han Jong-hee said during a press briefing at Europe's biggest tech trade show, the Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin (IFA) 2022.

"We will work to realize 'calm' technology via SmartThings where users can enjoy customized solutions without putting in much effort," he added. Calm technology refers to a type of technology that requires minimal attention and works from users.

SmartThings is Samsung's software to connect and control home appliances, with more than 230 million users worldwide, according to the company.

At this year's IFA, which runs from Sept. 2-6, Samsung highlighted its effort to promote the SmartThings application and maximize the synergy among home appliances so that life at home becomes more convenient and smarter.

"Many consumers still feel restrained when it comes to using various Internet of Things platforms," Han said. "We will try to actively solve this problem by popularizing the SmartThings app."

"SmartThings can give more added value to customers based on expertise and know-how from connecting Samsung's diverse consumer products", Han said.

By the end of next year, Samsung plans to make all of its home appliances Wi-Fi enabled, and allow home devices from 13 different brands that belong to the Home Connectivity Alliance (HCA) to be connected and controlled.

With these efforts, Han expects the number of SmartThings users to more than double by 2027. He also said Samsung plans to make an announcement on the possibility of the SmartThings ecosystem at the Samsung Developer Conference in October.

The HCA was established last year to provide consumers with more options within a safe, secure and interoperable connected home ecosystem. Its members include LG Electronics Inc., GE Appliances and the Electrolux Group.