Samsung has announced SmartThings Edge, a change to its automation platform that aims to improve the reliability of connections in the smart home.
Edge is essentially a new way for SmartThings Hubs to process information, allowing devices to connect through a local network rather than go through the cloud.
Providing the user owns a SmartThings hub newer than the first generation, LAN-based, Zigbee or Z-Wave devices should be able to respond more quickly by bypassing the cloud.
In its blog post announcing Edge, Samsung also noted that support for Matter will be enabled when the open-source, unifying smart home platform rolls out - something which has recently been delayed until 2022.
Naturally, this means that automation is possible even when the internet goes down in a home, as well as smart home transmissions also being more secure. In its blog post detailing the arrival of SmartThings Edge, Samsung indicates that users may not notice changes in the app, this represents a big improvement in the overall workings of its IoT system.
Interestingly, it also isn't the first significant change we've seen to Samsung's platform in 2021, with SmartThings Find expanding beyond just finding the company's smartphones. SmartThings Energy, too, which lets users track the energy usage of their Samsung appliances, has also debuted.
So, all in all, it's a positive step forward for those who still want the benefits of a smart home without the worry of their internet connection getting in the way. If Edge is able to do what it says on the tin, it could aid uptake and ease frustrations - and, who knows, we might even see similar technology from rival hubs sooner rather than later as a result.
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