Samsung Releases Redesigned SmartThings App Featuring Matter 1.6 Support

Samsung has officially rolled out a comprehensive update for its SmartThings app across both Android and iOS devices, introducing a major user interface redesign alongside cutting-edge smart home capabilities. The latest version brings a brand-new dashboard, enhanced local processing controls, and pioneering support for the Matter 1.6 protocol, making it the very first smart home ecosystem to adopt this advanced standard.

SmartThings Now Brings Intelligent Suggestions

At the forefront of this update is SmartThings Now, a dedicated section positioned right at the top of the app interface. Utilizing large, interactive cards, this feature highlights immediate and contextual actions. For instance, it might prompt you to activate your air purifier and adjust the lighting the moment you arrive home, or deliver gentle check-in reminders regarding elderly family members.

Furthermore, this intelligent panel provides deep smart home insights, instantly notifying you if a specific home appliance begins drawing more electricity than normal. By continuously analyzing your weekly household habits and usage patterns, SmartThings can even recommend custom automations to optimize your energy consumption.

A Redesigned Interface with Resizable Cards

The overall user interface has been completely modernized with a fresh color palette, clean dashboards, and highly flexible device cards. Users can easily resize these cards to display either compact information or detailed metrics. A simple tap on a card icon activates its primary function, while selecting the remaining body of the card opens up comprehensive device settings and automation details.

To elevate the visual experience, Samsung has also incorporated dynamic Live Wallpapers that subtly shift their hues depending on the time of day. A compact, floating navigation bar at the bottom provides rapid access to essential tabs including Home, Devices, Life, Routines, and Menu, aligning the application closely with the refined design aesthetic of One UI 9.0.

Faster Local Control and Offline Diagnostics

Performance gets a significant boost through enhanced location-based routing. When your smartphone and your SmartThings Hub operate on the same Wi-Fi network, smart home commands bypass the cloud entirely. This architecture makes everyday smart home operations up to 30% faster and ensures uninterrupted device control even if your internet connection drops entirely. The application automatically determines whether to route commands locally or through the cloud depending on your physical proximity to the home.

To resolve common connectivity issues, Samsung has implemented a dedicated Offline Device Diagnostics page. This tool simplifies the restoration of disconnected devices by updating Wi-Fi credentials across all registered ecosystem products at once, eliminating the tedious process of reconfiguring each gadget individually after a router upgrade.

Matter 1.6 Support Arrives First on SmartThings

As a major industry milestone, this update introduces native compatibility with the Matter 1.6 standard, positioning Samsung as the pioneering smart home platform to adopt this protocol. The integration delivers superior system stability, refined group controls, and broad expansion for modern connected accessories, including real-time power tracking energy meters, physical closures like curtains and automatic gates, as well as advanced irrigation tools such as smart sprinklers and soil moisture sensors.

What is SmartThings Now and how does it work?

SmartThings Now is a brand-new intelligence section located at the top of the app. It utilizes interactive cards to suggest timely actions based on your daily routines, alert you to abnormal power consumption by household appliances, and recommend personalized automations.

How do enhanced local controls improve app speed?

When your phone and your SmartThings Hub share the same local Wi-Fi network, commands bypass cloud servers entirely. This local processing makes executing smart home actions up to 30% faster and keeps your devices fully functional during internet outages.

What advantages does Matter 1.6 bring to the ecosystem?

Matter 1.6 enhances overall network stability, improves group device management, and introduces native support for new hardware categories like real-time energy meters, automated window closures, and smart garden irrigation systems.

How does the Offline Device Diagnostics feature help users?

The diagnostic tool allows users to effortlessly recover devices that have dropped off the network by updating Wi-Fi network credentials across all registered smart products simultaneously.

🔎 Ultimately, Samsung's latest SmartThings update redefines modern home automation by marrying a sleek interface with powerful offline capabilities and forward-looking protocol support, ensuring a faster, smarter, and more reliable connected living experience.