Samsung adds Matter 1.2 support to SmartThings

Samsung SmartThings looks set to become the first major smart home platform to fully support Matter 1.2. According to a press release, the SmartThings platform now works with Matter 1.2, so manufacturers and developers can start integrating their compatible devices with the platform. The SmartThings app won’t be updated to support Matter until later this summer — so you won’t be able to control your Matter-compatible Roborock robot vacuum or Midea dishwasher through SmartThings until then.

Samsung also announced several other updates to its smart home platform, including app design improvements, new device control options, a data center backup option, shared workflows, and gamification of Samsung Energy features.

Matter 1.2 support in SmartThings means devices added to the new smart home standard — co-developed by Apple, Amazon, Google, Samsung, and others — will now work with Samsung’s smart home platform.

This includes refrigerators, room air conditioners, dishwashers, washing machines, robot vacuum cleaners, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, air quality sensors, air purifiers and fans. You’ll be able to add devices directly to the SmartThings app through Matter, control them, and receive notifications and alerts through the app.

The SmartThings platform already supports many of these devices, both Samsung’s own brand and those from other manufacturers (including Thermador, Bosch and Dacor). But they are usually integrated in the cloud.

Matter will roll out these integrations locally, which should mean faster response times and the ability to control devices even when there’s no internet connection. Although Samsung’s connected devices work with the SmartThings app, they are not certified by Matter. This means they only work with the SmartThings app, while Matter devices can work with any smart home platform that supports Matter.

However, other major platforms, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Apple Home, have yet to add support for Matter 1.2. Apple has announced that it will support robot vacuums later this year, but there’s no word on any other types of devices. Home Assistant supports Matter 1.2, but its integration with Matter is still in beta. While Matter 1.3 was announced in May, bringing support for power management, microwaves, ovens, electric cooktops, hoods, and electric dryers, it’s unclear when we’ll see widespread support for the platform.

There are currently only a handful of Matter-certified devices in the newly supported categories — the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra, Ecovac Deebot X2 Combo robot vacuum, and AiDot air purifier are just a few examples. But now that a major platform has announced support, I expect to see manufacturers including it in their devices. Whirlpool (owner of KitchenAid and Maytag), Midea, LG, and Haier (owner of GE Appliances) are all major brands that have said their products will support Matter.

In addition to the Matter update, Samsung announced several other improvements for its platform. Adds a new Hub Manager interface in the SmartThings app to provide one place to manage multiple hubs. This adds the option to select a root hub, as well as the new Hub Backup feature. If you have multiple SmartThings hubs, a secondary hub may come online if the primary hub fails.

In recent years, SmartThings has significantly expanded its hub infrastructure, adding SmartThings hubs to its TVs, soundbars and smart refrigerators. With Hub Backup, since you’re more likely to have multiple hubs in your home, if one gets disconnected, fails, or is replaced, your smart home will still work. Most newer Samsung SmartThings hubs support Thread, Zigbee, and Matter, but only the Aeotec SmartThings hub also supports Z-Wave.

Samsung Galaxy smartphone users will get a new quick access feature for device control. You will now be able to select the devices you want to add to your own home control page on your phone’s quick panel, so you can quickly access the volume on your TV or change the brightness of your lights without opening the SmartThings app.

Energy management is a key feature of a smart home, and SmartThings Energy, SmartThings’ energy management service, is one of the more robust options. Now, Samsung is adding a handy gamification feature to the platform that lets you view and manage the energy usage of compatible devices to help you save energy. Using Samsung’s AI Energy Mode, which automatically adjusts the energy usage of your devices, you can earn an energy voucher for every day you save 400 Wh of electricity. These can be redeemed for Samsung Rewards and spent on Samsung products on Samsung.com.

The SmartThings app is also getting some interface updates. The Devices tab will now show Rooms as a top-level tab, making it easier to manage devices by room. Device search has also been “improved” to help you find what you need faster. Devices will also have clearer information on their tab, including device status — for example, the lock on your door will indicate whether it’s locked or unlocked.

You’ll also be able to share any procedures and automations you create in the app with friends and family. Shared routines allow you to generate a QR code for the routine you create, which someone can scan and activate in the SmartThings app.

While these are mostly incremental improvements to the platform, they are all welcome updates that, if they work as advertised, will make using SmartThings to manage your smart home easier and more reliable. The platform is also leading the way in implementing Matter, and while Matter is still a long way from the smooth, seamless smart home experience we were promised, SmartThings currently offers one of the most robust implementations.