SmartThings, as some of you may probably know, is a Samsung-owned IoT platform that lets you control, monitor, and secure your home from your phone. So basically, you can use the platform to access/control bulbs, fans, TVs, and several other appliances.
SmartThings’ support for Samsung TVs was added in 2016, but sadly, the South Korean company recently confirmed that the support has now been removed.
The confirmation came in the form of a post by a Samsung moderator (on the official Samsung Community) while reverting back to those complaining about the missing integration. Here’s what they exactly said:
The notice we received from our specialists directly states: “The Smartthings application that relates to the televisions is being discontinued. ” There was no other information or explanation given. I do know that the Smartthings hub itself is not being discontinued, but it will not be able to control the TV
And here’s what they said on a different, but relevant thread.
The Smartthings hub will still be a thing but the app and features regarding the TVs themselves are going away
Take a look at the complete comments here:
It was back in September this year, when Samsung smart TV users started complaining that SmartThings integration on their TV got broken after a firmware update.
A lot of users have also been discussing this broken integration issue on the official SmartThings forum as well, with one user even mentioning that Samsung’s customer support on Twitter clearly told them the support has been pulled, and they should switch to Samsung Connect now.
It’s a well known fact that company reps on social media aren’t fully informed many times, but if moderators on official forums say something, then that’s almost as good as official. And that’s what has happened in this case now.
Curiously, the official SmartThings website still lists a number of Samsung TVs that are compatible with the platform. However, official announcements related to SmartThings and Samsung smart TV integration – from December 2015 – have been pulled from both Samsung’s as well as SmartThings’ websites (see here and here).
Apparently, the official focus has turned to Samsung Connect now, as even Samsung moderators are suggesting that users should start using it.
While some did try Samsung Connect, not everyone has been happy with the experience – their comments reveal the app is not currently feature-rich enough to replace SmartThings.
Whatever the case, silently pulling a key feature – and that too, which was announced not long ago – isn’t going to help Samsung in any way. There are a large number of people who purchased a Samsung smart TV in order to take advantage of the SmartThings IoT platform, and needless to say they are (will) not at all happy with what the company has done.
We’re hoping Samsung will soon come out with an official statement on the matter.
Samsung Community 1 2 | SmartThings Forum
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Dr. Aparajita Sharma
1261 Posts
A budding entrepreneur by profession, and a psychologist by education. As a founding member of PiunikaWeb, I am nurturing this firstborn with my sharp-eyed expertise and even journalistic writing when needed.
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