Samsung SmartThings' new home hub offers new and better features
SmartThings from Samsung has introduced its new hub for home use and it has several awesome features, including video monitoring and new sensors.
Apart from the new features, the hub will also be compatible with several SmartThings devices and Samsung products, as well as accessories from Yale, Philips, Bose, and Aeon among others.
The Samsung SmartThings Hub was revamped to make it a more reliable device, something that was lacking from its predecessors.
The new changes allow the hub to operate locally, which means that even without Internet connection it can still operate.
The hub is now running on a powerful processor and also has a more reliable battery backup capable of running the device for up to 10 hours in case the power goes out.
As mentioned, the hub now has a video monitoring capability, which is considered one of the highlights of SmartThing's changes.
The video monitoring feature will first arrive in the beta version and will only be compatible with D-Link and Samsung cameras, according to The Verge.
The video monitoring feature is also being developed with extra care since it can pose security issues.
The hub collects video feeds but it does not send it over to cloud unless requested by the user or if the mobile app triggers an alarm. In this case, the hub will send out the portion of the video stream that contains the important incident.
Samsung SmartThings Hub is now for sale in the United States and will be available in the United Kingdom starting Sept. 10.
The hub is priced at $99 with sensors costing anywhere between $30 and $55 each. For U.S. customers, it may be purchased from Amazon.
Meanwhile, for those in the United Kingdom, the hub will sell for £99 at Currys PC World. A starter pack, which consists of the Hub and different sensors, will be offered for £199.