I believe that the idea that the living room TV should be the central location for connectivity, control, and management of a smart home has been around for a long time. And it looks like Samsung may get there first.
Samsung has been gradually adding smart home features to its TVs, turning them into hubs for its SmartThings home automation platform, adding Matter controller functionality so Matter devices can connect, and most recently turning its latest TVs into Thread border routers. . All this means you can use your TV to connect and control smart devices like lights and locks without the need for a separate hub. And this week at his CES, Samsung revealed how it can turn the biggest screen in your home into a bona fide smart display.
A new dashboard screen called Now Plus is coming to your TV. It turns on when you approach the TV, without having to take out the remote, and displays a card with information about your smart home devices, such as home camera footage, room temperature, and how much time is left on the TV. . laundry. Information cards are similar to how an Echo Show or Google Nest Hub smart display displays relevant information on an always-on display.
There’s also a new quick panel that lets you access features like turning on lights and locking doors. This seems like a huge improvement compared to simply displaying a version of the SmartThings app on the TV screen, which is how he currently controls his SmartThings devices on his Samsung TV.
Samsung also brings a new, more intuitive interface to the TV. That map view will now be accessible from your TV, expanding this smart home interface even more widely across platforms. Map View is similar to Amazon’s new Map View interface (but Samsung’s version was there first). SmartThings’ Map View lets you arrange your connected gadgets on an interactive map layout and control devices like lights and locks in real time, monitor security cameras and energy usage, and more.
Map views must be created in the SmartThings app on your phone or tablet, but you can see or control the status of each room in your home and your smart devices from the screen of your TV or Samsung Family Hub smart refrigerator. Too. Also available for Samsung’s M8 monitor.
Map view also adds new AI characters that can imitate family members and pets, and a new way to generate a map of your home.
Amazon’s version of Map View requires an iPhone with LIDAR to scan your home, but Samsung says you can also create a floor plan using just your address (here’s how it works) It is unknown whether Or you can take a photo. Create an existing floor plan and SmartThings will convert it to 3D.
Another option is to use a LIDAR-enabled Samsung device, such as the new JetBot robot vacuum or the Ballie AI robot, and have the robot scan your home and generate a floor plan. According to Samsung, Bally can also place smart devices in the right locations around your home.
What is Barry? Well, Ballie is Samsung’s rotating home robot that was launched to much fanfare at CES 2020, but has since been nowhere to be seen. It looks like the round robot ball may be back at his CES 2024. As for me, I’m really looking forward to seeing the little yellow guy rolling around on the floor in Las Vegas this week.