SmartThings for iPhone and Apple Watch gets new features

Samsung is updating the SmartThings app for iOS and watchOS with new features that make controlling Samsung's smart home appliances and SmartThings-supported devices with iPhone and Apple Watch much easier (via The Verge).

Starting with the SmartThings app for iPhone, it now supports Siri Shortcuts for Routines. That is, in the SmartThings app, when you create an automation, you can ask Siri to run it. For example, if you create a routine called ‘Home,’ which turns on all the lights, you can say “Hey Siri, Home” and the personal assistant will run that routine for you.

The latest update to the app also gives you the ability to view and control up to five most recently used devices from the lock screen with Live Activities.

Coming to the SmartThings app for the Apple Watch, it now shows the full list of your devices and device groups, and lets you control them. It also lets you manage routines.

On the App Store, the SmartThings listing shows that the last time Samsung updated the app was about a week ago (version 1.7.39). Its change log says that it “provides you with better services” and that “some features have been improved in the new version.” There’s no information on whether this is the update that offers the new features or if Samsung is going to roll out another update that brings the useful new features that we discussed above.