Samsung announces redesigned SmartThings app with Matter 1.6 support

A few days ago, Samsung released the latest version of its SmartThings app for Android and iOS. Today, the company officially detailed all the features included in the update. It introduces SmartThings Now, a refreshed UI design, enhanced local controls, and support for Matter 1.6.

The app is now available for all Android and iPhone users. Samsung has also revealed that SmartThings now has over 470 million registered users and supports more than 430 Works with SmartThings (WWST)-certified brands.

SmartThings Now is a new section located at the top of the app. It features large cards that highlight immediate actions, such as a prompt to turn on the air purifier and lights when you get home or check-in reminders for elderly family members.

The section can also display smart home insights, alerting you if an appliance is consuming more power than usual. Based on your weekly usage patterns, it can even suggest new automations.

The app has been redesigned with a fresh color scheme, streamlined dashboards, and resizable device cards that can be adjusted to be more compact or detailed. Tapping a card's icon triggers the primary action, while tapping the rest of the card reveals more information about the device or automation.

The update also adds dynamic Live Wallpapers that shift colors throughout the day and a new compact floating bar at the bottom for quick access to tabs like Home, Devices, Life, Routines, and Menu. This new interface brings it more in line with the design language of other apps in One UI 9.0.

With enhanced location controls, smart home devices can bypass the cloud when your phone and the SmartThings Hub are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. This makes smart home actions up to 30% faster and allows you to control devices during an internet outage. The app intelligently switches between cloud and local processing depending on whether you are at home or away.

Samsung has also introduced a dedicated Offline Device Diagnostics page. It allows you to easily restore devices that have dropped off the network by updating Wi-Fi credentials across all registered products simultaneously. This addresses one of the biggest frustrations of managing a smart home, especially when switching to a new router or changing a network password.

Finally, the updated SmartThings app brings support for the Matter 1.6 standard. In fact, it is the first smart home platform to adopt the new protocol.

The update improves overall stability and group controls while adding support for energy meters for real-time power tracking, closures (curtains, gates, and windows), and irrigation equipment like sprinklers and soil sensors.