Samsung Introduces ‘SmartThings Now’ in New Platform Update That Brings More Intuitive User Experiences

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced the latest update to SmartThings[1], its global connected living platform now serving millions registered users in Australia and supporting 430+ Works with SmartThings (WWST)-certified brands worldwide[2]. The update introduces SmartThings Now at the top of the Home tab, refreshes the app’s Home tab experience, and expands local control capabilities, helping users access relevant information, take action more easily, and manage connected devices with greater reliability.

“This update marks another step in SmartThings’ ongoing efforts to move beyond a home experience where users search for and launch features,” said Jaeyeon Jung, Executive Vice President and Head of the SmartThings Team, AI Platform Center, Samsung Electronics. “By delivering relevant information and controls at the right time, SmartThings is pushing the boundaries of more intelligent home experiences and empowering users to manage their everyday lives more naturally.”

A Redesigned Home Tab Experience, Led by SmartThings Now

SmartThings Now appears as cards at the top of the Home tab, building on Home Insight[3] to offer greater personalisation by combining relevant information with actions users can take right away. It is designed to suggest relevant information and immediately actionable controls based on the user’s current situation, delivering an experience that is easier and more intuitive.

When the user arrives near a home location pre-registered in the SmartThings app, SmartThings Now suggests turning on compatible smart lights and compatible air conditioning in advance. Once the user acts, it prompts them to create a routine so the same actions can run automatically going forward. This is all part of an experience designed to naturally guide users to the next relevant step based on their choices and context, making it easier to discover and use the features they need.

SmartThings Now also supports personalised optimisation based on usage patterns. It analyses the past week’s activity to suggest updates to Home tab Favourites, including devices, services, and routines. For example, it may recommend removing an air conditioner card as usage drops heading into cooler months. Users can manage their routines through the Routine Insight card in SmartThings Now,[4] as well, by navigating to a detailed view of their routine activity over the past week to review and delete routines they no longer need.

The updated Home tab reorganises key information into a more streamlined view, covering dashboards, device cards, and service cards, with each type displayed in a format optimised for easier browsing.[5]

Service cards use a more space-efficient design to clearly display more services on a single screen and present information like device status and numerical readings. Additionally, Live Wallpaper changes naturally throughout the day, adding a more dynamic visual touch to the experience.

The update also introduces a Floating Bar that places frequently used features within easier reach at the bottom of the screen, improving one-handed use on larger smartphones and reflecting the latest One UI design direction.

Enhanced Local Control Helps Keep Devices Responsive, Even When the Internet Is Disrupted

SmartThings[1] is now introducing local control technology that helps users continue to operate connected devices more reliably when there are changes to the home network environment or disruptions to external internet service.[6]

When a mobile device and a SmartThings Hub are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, the mobile device can communicate directly with the hub rather than routing controls through the cloud.

SmartThings automatically switches between local and cloud-based remote control based on whether the user’s mobile device is at home or away. The updated Offline Device Diagnostics page helps users restore devices that have gone offline by updating new network information across registered devices at once.

For more information about SmartThings Now, visit www.samsung.com/au/smartthings/

[1] SmartThings available on Android and iOS devices. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required. For a list of compatible connected devices, visit https://www.samsung.com/au/smartthings/

[2] SmartThings operates in more than 200 countries with over 3.5 million registered users in Australia as of 6 August 2026. For more information, visit https://www.samsung.com/au/smartthings/

[3] Some features of Home Insight are currently available only in Korea and the USA.

[4] Routine Insight is accessible through SmartThings Now and the Automations > Suggestions tab in the SmartThings app.

[5] The updated Home tab experience, including SmartThings Now, is available across SmartThings-supported devices such as mobile devices, Samsung Smart TVs, Family Hub refrigerators, Samsung appliances with 7-inch or 9-inch screens and Windows devices. Availability varies by model, software version and market.

[6] Local control is available on Android and iOS devices with the SmartThings app installed, for SmartThings Station, SmartThings Hubs, and hub-enabled Samsung Smart TVs and Family Hub. Local control support varies by device.