SmartThings hubs will also be added to smart TVs and fridges
It’s hardly a surprise given that Samsung was one of the founders of the Project CHIP initiative but we now have official confirmation that SmartThings will be Matter compatible.
Revealed at Samsung Developer Conference 2021, Samsung stated that users will be able to control Matter-enabled devices using not only SmartThings hubs, but through smart TVs and the Family Hub smart fridge line-up.
That’s because Samsung also revealed at SDC21 that SmartThings hub software will be embedded into the likes of Samsung smart TVs and Family Hub refrigerators.
Samsung recently moved away from making its own SmartThings hardware, including the native hub. Instead, the Aeotec Smart Home Hub is now the preferred SmartThings base for anyone that wants to directly connect Z-Wave or Zigbee devices.
However, it’s encouraging to learn that Samsung is making it easier than ever to control a SmartThings smart home setup; a setup that will be more versatile than ever with Matter on board.
Matter is the brand name for Project CHIP, and the name will appear on all compatible smart home devices when it goes live next year.
The plan is it will be easier for consumers to identify devices that will work within their smart home ecosystem; whether that be Alexa, HomeKit, Google’s Assistant, SmartThings, or any others who join the party.
For example, a HomeKit only brand such as Eve would never be compatible with SmartThings… but Matter will make that possible.
Google was the first major player to reveal its Matter hand at I/O 2021, back in May and there are some pretty big names involved in the project – with the likes of Apple, Amazon, Signify, Resideo and Somfy all signing up with the Zigbee Alliance (now called the Connectivity Standard Alliance) for the protocol plan back in 2019.
Initially Matter will be built around three wireless technologies: Thread, Bluetooth LE and Wi-Fi. Samsung also used the SDC21 keynote to reveal it had joined the Thread Group Board of Directors.
Explainer: What is Thread
Thread is a major player for Matter in terms of device communication – especially for the initial launch phase; Bluetooth is essentially used for initial setups where needed and Wi-Fi is only required for high-bandwidth situations.
Read our comprehensive guide to the Matter smart home to learn more about the standard that is set to shake up the smart home.
“We truly believe that Matter is the foundation and future of IoT, and we are thrilled that Samsung SmartThings will be embedding it into so many products accelerating smart home adoption and bringing users more convenient connected home experiences wherever they are,” said Michelle Mindala-Freeman, Head of Marketing for the Connectivity Standards Alliance.
“Samsung TVs, appliances and Galaxy devices are part of everyday life for millions of people around the world and integrating SmartThings hub functionality into these devices will make it easier for users to experience connected living without additional hardware purchase,” added Jaeyeon Jung, Corporate Vice President at Samsung Electronics and Head of SmartThings.
“On top of that, adding Matter support into the SmartThings platform will only broaden the choices of devices to connect as Matter-enabled devices flood into the market next year.”
Finally, Samsung also showed off some new Bixby skills and features and even mentioned the Galaxy Home but, let’s be honest, we’ve all but given up hope that Sammy’s smart speaker will actually see the light of day.
