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Samsung's SmartThings Kit is everything you need to setup a Connected Smart Home

By James Lu - on 5 Sep 2015, 9:20am

Samsung's SmartThings Kit is everything you need to setup a Connected Smart Home

One thing is clear from Samsung's press conference at IFA 2015: it is ramping up its IoT efforts. First up, Samsung has announced the SmartThings Kit, a £199 (~S$429) kit with everything you need to transform your home into a connected smart home.

The Samsung SmartThings Kit is the first batch of products released by SmartThings since the US startup was bought by Samsung last year for US$200 million. The kit is essentially a 'smarthome in a box', and comprises of a hub and four sensors: a motion sensor to monitor movement in your house, a multi-sensor to monitor whether doors, windows, drawers or your garage door are open or closed, a presence sensor to know when people, pets and cars arrive and leave, and a smart power outlet to connect one device, such as a light or appliance. For example, you can connect the power outlet to a coffee machine and remotely control when it turns on.

The hub acts as the heart of the home and connects all the other devices together. Through it, and with the help of an app, users will be able to control the four sensors - as well as hundreds of compatible devices from Samsung's partners. The hub even includes a back-up battery, so if there’s a power cut, it will keep working and if the internet drops out, it will also carry on monitoring the home.

Some of the third party devices that will be compatible with the SmartThings Hub.

On top of remote controlling and monitoring the sensors, users will also be able to setup 'routines' through the app. For example an ‘I’m leaving the house’ routine could comprise of the app switching off all connected lights, turning down a smart thermostat and checking an appliance attached to a smart outlet is turned off for peace of mind.

The app has a ‘market place’ where users can download routines built by the SmartThings community. These could be something like a simple routine of rule, which says ‘if my door is open between midnight and 6am, flash the lights and sound an alarm’.

The Samsung SmartThings Kit will be launching in the UK next week for £199. The hub will also be available to buy separately for £99 and all additional sensors will cost £30 each, with smart power outlets at £45 each.

Availability and pricing outside of the UK is unknown at this time.

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