Samsung has unveiled new AI features for its SmartThings platform, including natural language control to simplify smart home management.
The features, announced ahead of this week’s Galaxy Unpacked event, aim to make home automation more accessible and include several quality-of-life improvements for Apple device users.
The headline addition is the new Routine Creation Assistant, which allows users to set up home automations using natural language processing. Rather than navigating through various menus and settings, users can ask something like “turn off all the lights and close the blinds when I leave the house” into the SmartThings app, which will then automatically configure the necessary actions without further input.
This natural language approach mirrors similar efforts from Google Home’s Gemini integration and Amazon’s Alexa Plus, signalling an industry-wide push towards removing technical barriers that have traditionally hindered widespread smart home adoption. However, those competing offerings remain in beta or early access phases.
Smart homes have long promised convenience, but the reality has often involved complicated setup processes that put off average consumers. Samsung is clearly aiming to tackle that issue with SmartThings and use AI to provide solutions that just work how you expect it to.
The SmartThings platform is also gaining a Delay Actions feature, enabling users to schedule multiple timed steps within a single routine. This practical enhancement allows for sophisticated automation sequences, such as a morning routine that progressively turns on lights around the home, activates a coffee maker 30 minutes later, and then opens the blinds while reading the news headlines after another 30 minutes.
For households with multiple occupants, a new Confirm to Run Actions feature adds an additional safety layer by sending notifications requiring confirmation before certain routines execute. This prevents scenarios where security modes might activate while family members are still at home, addressing a common frustration in shared living spaces.
Apple device users will benefit from several platform-specific improvements. The SmartThings Apple Watch app has received an upgrade with a new widget for quicker device control and expanded functionality allowing users to switch between different location profiles directly from their wrist. iOS users will also benefit from a dark mode within the SmartThings app.
Samsung’s Virtual Home feature, which allows prospective smart home enthusiasts to experiment with SmartThings capabilities without purchasing actual devices, has now been rolled out to all users. This interactive demonstration enables users to visualise how various automations might function in their homes and explore potential device additions before making investment decisions.
The Virtual Home feature should help to demystify smart home technology. Being able to test-drive automation routines and see how they could improve your daily life (or not) without the financial commitment removes a psychological barrier for newcomers.
SmartThings Find, Samsung’s location-tracking service, has also received some love with a new URL sharing option. This feature allows Galaxy smartphone owners to generate shareable links pinpointing the location of Galaxy SmartTags, which can be viewed on any internet-connected device (yes, including iPhones.)
Samsung is further simplifying device setup through the expansion of its Calm Onboarding programme from 14 to 58 countries. This programme now encompasses Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Buds alongside a wide range of household appliances including 2025 Samsung appliances, 2024 TVs, air conditioners, air purifiers, vacuum cleaners, ovens, and Family Hub refrigerators.
When enabled through the “Add My Device Automatically” option in the SmartThings app, Calm Onboarding automatically detects, registers, and connects compatible Samsung products to eliminate manual setup procedures entirely.
These updates arguably represent Samsung’s most ambitious push yet to position SmartThings as the central nervous system for connected homes. By addressing usability concerns that have historically limited mainstream adoption of home automation, the company appears determined to expand beyond tech enthusiasts into broader consumer markets.
While some features are immediately available, others will be rolled out gradually in the coming weeks across iOS and Android versions of the SmartThings app. Samsung recommends users ensure their applications are updated to access new functionality as it becomes available.
As competition in the smart home sector intensifies with Apple’s HomeKit improvements and Google’s continued Nest ecosystem expansion, Samsung’s focus on accessibility with helpful AI features and cross-platform functionality with SmartThings could help to capture consumers who value integration over brand loyalty.
(Image credit: Samsung)
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