Samsung refreshes its SmartThings hub for Android users
Samsung announced on 12 October 2026 that the SmartThings app – the company’s cross‑brand smart‑home hub – is getting a major facelift. The update, dubbed SmartThings Now, reshapes the Home tab, adds a bottom‑screen floating bar and introduces a more aggressive local‑control engine that promises noticeably snappier device handling, even when the internet drops.
The press release from Samsung UK makes it clear the changes are aimed at the 470 million registered SmartThings users worldwide, many of whom are Android phone owners. For UK shoppers who pair a Galaxy phone with Samsung’s ecosystem of appliances, the new features could translate into a smoother day‑to‑day experience and, importantly, fewer hiccups when the home Wi‑Fi is unstable.
What’s new on the Home tab?
SmartThings Now cards
At the very top of the Home screen, Samsung now places a stack of SmartThings Now cards. Each card combines a piece of relevant information – such as the weather, the status of a door sensor or the battery level of a robot vacuum – with an immediate action button. The cards are generated by an AI‑driven engine that looks at recent usage patterns and the user’s current context.
Example scenarios:
- If a family‑care member (for instance an elderly parent) hasn’t interacted with any device for a while, a card appears offering a quick “check‑in” call.
- When the phone detects you’re approaching a pre‑registered home location, a card suggests turning on lights or an air purifier before you walk through the door.
- After you act on a suggestion, the app prompts you to turn the one‑off action into a routine, so the same steps can run automatically in the future.
The system also analyses the past week’s activity to tidy up the Favorites row – removing rarely used devices (e.g., an air‑conditioner in winter) and surfacing newly active gear such as an AirDresser.
Streamlined layout and live wallpaper
Beyond the new cards, Samsung has re‑arranged device, service and dashboard tiles into a cleaner grid that fits more items on a single screen. Service cards now occupy less space while still showing key metrics like temperature or power draw. A subtle live‑wallpaper change mirrors the time of day, giving the UI a more dynamic feel.
Floating Bar for one‑handed use
Large‑screen Android phones often suffer from thumb‑reach issues. Samsung’s answer is a Floating Bar that sits at the bottom of the screen, housing shortcuts to the most common actions – for example, adding a new device, launching a routine or opening the “Offline Device Diagnostics” screen. The bar can be dragged to a side edge, keeping the main view uncluttered.
Local control gets a performance boost
One of the headline claims in the release is a 30 % reduction in response time when the app can talk directly to a SmartThings hub on the same Wi‑Fi network. In practice, this means turning a light on or adjusting a thermostat feels almost instantaneous, even if your broadband connection hiccups.
The app automatically toggles between local and cloud pathways: when you’re at home, commands go straight to the hub; when you’re away, they travel via Samsung’s cloud servers. Samsung also refreshed the Offline Device Diagnostics page, allowing users to push new network credentials to all registered devices in one go – a handy tool for households that frequently change routers.
Matter 1.6 and four new device categories
The update adds support for Matter 1.6, the latest version of the industry‑wide smart‑home standard overseen by the Connectivity Standards Alliance. Matter compatibility improves cross‑brand reliability and enables smoother group‑control actions (e.g., turning off all lights with a single command).
In addition, Samsung has opened the platform to four fresh device types:
- Energy meters – real‑time power consumption data.
- Closures – specialised door, gate or garage‑door controllers.
- Irrigation devices – smart sprinkler systems.
- Soil sensors – for gardeners who want to monitor moisture and temperature.
These categories are already listed as “Works with SmartThings (WWST)‑certified” by a growing roster of third‑party manufacturers, meaning UK users can expect new products to appear on the market over the coming months.
How this matters for UK Android phone buyers
For readers of android‑mobiles.co.uk who are hunting a new contract phone or considering a Samsung Galaxy device, the update reinforces why Samsung’s ecosystem remains a compelling proposition:
- Speed – Faster local control can be a decisive factor for users who have experienced lag with cloud‑only solutions.
- Convenience – The AI‑driven cards reduce the need to dig through menus, a benefit for busy households.
- Future‑proofing – Matter 1.6 ensures that new smart‑home gear will work out‑of‑the‑box, protecting the investment in a Samsung phone and its companion appliances.
- Cross‑device reach – The same app now runs on Galaxy phones, tablets, Samsung Smart TVs, Family Hub refrigerators and even Windows PCs, meaning you can manage your home from virtually any screen you already own.
If you’re currently on a contract with a UK carrier and are weighing a Samsung Galaxy S‑series handset, the upgraded SmartThings experience could tip the scales, especially if you already own Samsung appliances or plan to expand your smart‑home setup.
Availability and rollout
Samsung says the update will be pushed automatically to all supported devices running Android 13 or later, as well as to Samsung Smart TVs, Family Hub fridges and Windows 11 PCs that have the SmartThings client installed. Local‑control enhancements are available on Android and iOS devices paired with any SmartThings hub (Station, V2, V3 or V4) and on hub‑enabled Samsung TVs.
Bottom line
Samsung’s SmartThings Now update is more than a cosmetic refresh; it adds AI‑guided home cards, a handy floating shortcut bar and a measurable speed‑up for local device control. Coupled with Matter 1.6 support and new device categories, the platform is positioning itself as a serious competitor to Google Home and Apple HomeKit, particularly for Android users who already own Samsung hardware. Keep an eye on your device’s update settings – the rollout should begin this week for most UK users.
