This new Samsung SmartThings feature may have fixed the biggest frustration with smart homes

Date:
Thu, 19 Aug 2021 15:00:00 +0000

Description:
Samsung's SmartThings platform can now ensure smart home devices can still be automated, even if theres no internet access.

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A smart home that ensures all of your systems such as heating and lighting
are automated can be extremely handy. It means you can arrive home to a cosy abode thats at just the right temperature, with the lights creating a warming atmosphere and your favorite playlist playing on your sound system.

That is until the internet goes down. Then, the best smart home devices become, well dumb. Samsung, however, is hoping to make this a thing of the past with a new technology that it's building into its SmartThings platform that will run automations even when the user's internet connection goes down.

SmartThings Edge is a new framework for the SmartThings system, which uses a SmartThings hub to control a range of smart home devices such as smart
lights, smart plugs and smart thermostats, even if theyre not made by
Samsung.

Samsung claims this new technology will also ensure smart home devices are faster to respond to commands because they will be processed by the hub
rather than having to be relayed to the cloud. SmartThings Labs lets you try unreleased automations heres how to use it Discover if Matter put an end to laggy smart home gadgets Find out how to track energy consumption with Samsungs SmartThings Internet access is the biggest barrier to smart homes

According to Park Associates , 36% of US homes have at least one smart home device installed. However, the growth of the smart home is slightly slower than has previously been estimated. Market research Statista had expected
that 52.22 million US homes - around 38% - would be regularly using smart
home devices by now. So whats behind the slower than predicted uptake?

In my opinion, its the worry about whether smart home devices will still work even if your internet connection is lost. Many of us enjoy a reliable and
fast internet connection, which offers a speed at which we can do everything wed like online, from surfing the web to watching streaming services and controlling our smart home systems.

According to research by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) , however, 25 million people in the US are making do with slow, unreliable broadband, which means their smart home devices will often be rendered useless.

Ive certainly experienced the frustration of a temporary loss of internet and the effect its had on my smart home devices. While they can still be controlled manually for example, using the light switch on the wall rather than asking Alexa to turn the lights on, or plugging the appliance connected to a smart plug directly into a wall socket it really contradicts the tale were told about just how easy smart home devices can make your life.

Then, youve got to factor in time to check that each smart home device is working correctly when the internet comes back on. It feels like theres
always one device that needs a reboot, or in some cases to be completely reset, before its up and working properly.

If SmartThings Edge really can ensure that smart home devices still work and automations will run even if theres no internet access, it will certainly relieve some of the frustrations experienced with smart home devices. It
could potentially help increase adoption, too. Heres hoping other smart home hub manufacturers can implement similar technology Amazon, its over to you. Check out these great smart home device deals



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/news/this-new-samsung-smartthing-feature-may-have-fi xed-the-biggest-frustration-with-smart-homes/


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