Samsung Launches Its Push Into The Smart Home

Samsung has revealed its plans to enter the smart home market with the release of a new smart home hub that will pitch it into battle with the likes of Apple and Google.

The South Korean giant took to the stage at IFA 2015 to show off its SmartThings platform, built to support the growing number of IoT-connected devices in the world.

The company revealed it will be bringing its SmartThings Hub to the UK and Europe in 2016, giving consumer a central unit to control all of their smart, connected devices from your tablet or smartphone using the companion SmartThings app, which will deliver real-time notifications and even video clips.

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The new Samsung SmartThings Hub (see main image) has a more powerful processor that enables video monitoring, and includes a battery backup that lasts up to 10 hours in case of a power outage. Balancing privacy with security, the video monitoring capability allows people to access a livestream at any time, yet only records video when an unexpected event, such as motion by the front door, is detected.

The Hub is also supported by a SmartThings solution called ‘Smart Home Monitor’ which, much like Google’s Nest, helps secure your home against break-ins, smoke and fire, leaks and floods, and other common household issues by delivering real-time notifications and video clips from multiple cameras via the SmartThings app.

In order to show off the power of the smart home, Samsung also revealed a range of SmartThings home products.

This includes the Samsung SleepSense (pictured left), a flat, disc-shaped sensor which can be placed under your pillow to track and monitor your sleep habits, as well as heartbeat and breathing rates.

Also on show was the Samsung WW8500 AddWash, an eye-catching new washing machine which brilliantly allows consumers to add laundry at any point of the wash cycle, thanks to its innovative ‘Add Door’.

Lastly, Samsung revealed more details about its partnerships with auto manufacturers BMW and Volkswagen, which includes the ability to use your Gear S2 smartwatch to unlock doors on a number of the latter’s vehicles.

“At the heart of all Samsung’s IoT innovations,” said Dr W.P. Hong, Samsung Electronics’ chief marketing officer, “is our long-standing approach of researching and observing people’s daily lives, and looking beyond the obvious to find innovative ways of enriching them, by turning everyday moments into enjoyable experiences. This philosophy will not change as we lead the way to a smarter, more connected, and more human future for us all.”

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