AliceSamsung has officially entered the IoT plug and play home automation market with today’s release of the Samsung SmartThings Starter Kit at IFA 2015 in Berlin.
The Samsung SmartThings Starter Kit incudes elements that allow a user to monitor, control and secure their home from anywhere.
As reported on MailOnline, Mark Younger, managing director of Samsung SmartThings said that “We’re trying to break the popular misconception that you need a professional to come into our home to set things up and make it smart”.
Once a user has set up their Starter Kit, SmartThings allows them to add any of the hundreds of compatible smart devices to enhance their home. The system reportedly takes just 15 minutes to set up.
The Samsung SmartThings Starter Kit contains a SmartThings Hub to connect with smart sensors, lights, locks and cameras, a SmartThings multi sensor to monitor whether doors, windows, drawers or garage doors are open or closed, a SmartThings Motion Sensor to monitor movement in the home, a SmartThings Presence Sensor to know when people, pets and cars arrive or leave the home and a SmartThings Power Outlet to control lights, electronics and small appliances.
The SmartThings Hub serves as the heart of the smart home, boasting a processor that enables video monitoring and includes a battery backup that reportedly lasts up to 10 hours in case of a power outage.
Meanwhile, balancing privacy with security – the video monitoring capability allows users to access a live stream at any time, yet only records video when an unexpected event, such as motion by the front door, is detected.
The Smart Home Monitor provides unified access and control against intrusion, smoke and fire, leaks and floods and other common household issues by delivering real-time notifications and video clips from multiple cameras via the SmartThings App.
“For Samsung, IFA 2015 is all about the Internet of Things,” comments Dr W.P. Hong, chief marketing officer for Samsung Electronics.
“We are certain that IoT will revolutionise the world of consumer electronics, and this is our opportunity to update you on how far we have come in just a year. Every year, Samsung sells more than 300 million products to European consumers. Today, our products are used by 85 million Europeans – at home, and increasingly at work. No organisation is better placed to ensure that the latest industrial revolution is driven not by technology, but by people’s expectations. Our vision is of an IoT that’s ‘In Sync With Life’, that’s an IoT for you.”
Using the free Samsung SmartThings App, the user can receive important notifications about what’s happening at home, control smart devices with a simple tap and choreograph their home to react to their unique preferences.
The App is available for iPhone, Android and Windows Phones and will be available for download from September 10.
Alex Hawkinson, the founder and CEO of SmartThings, commented that for the Internet of Things to succeed, IoT devices must be extremely user-friendly, while also giving consumers the ability to customise and seamlessly access tools that offer peace of mind when they’re away from home.
The Samsung SmartThings Starter Kit is priced at £199, the Multi Sensor: £30, Motion Sensor: £30, Presence Sensor: £30, Power Outlet: £45 and the Moisture Sensor (not sold as part of Starter Kit) costs £30.
The new Samsung SmartThings Hub, sensors and updated mobile App launch in the US today, in the United Kingdom next week and will roll out across Europe in 2016.
In the UK, SmartThings products will be available from select Currys PC World stores or online at samsung.com or currys.co.uk from the September 10 2015.
In the US, SmartThings is available for purchase on SmartThings.com, Samsung.com, Amazon.com. It will soon arrive at as yet unnamed retail stores in the US.
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