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Samsung's updated SmartThings takes a few notes from One UI's Now Brief
Oct 6, 2026 — 2:05 AM ET
- Samsung has refreshed its SmartThings app on mobile and smart home appliances.
- The updated UI brings Now Brief-style cards with contextual information in the center.
- The update also brings local controls when the internet shuts down, along with support for Matter 1.6.
Samsung’s smart home platform, SmartThings, is getting an update to its apps across different platforms. Along with a refreshed UI that we covered last week, Samsung reveals the update brings improved local controls and a new Now Brief-like summary for appliances and other smart home devices connected to the app.
The new summarization feature, called SmartThings Now, surfaces important information and displays actionable items at the top of the Home tab. This information is personalized based on users’ location, usage patterns, and other past activity to suggest actions. It will also prioritize routines and may recommend you to reorganize the cards on the Home page when the seasons change.
Samsung shares another example of when SmartThings Now may come in handy. When an older family member using Samsung’s Family Care, a telemonitoring and caregiving feature, shows zero activity for an extended period, SmartThings Now will nudge you to check on them. It may also remind you to turn on the air conditioner when you’re about to get home, or turn on the lights from the driveway.
Besides SmartThings Now, the Home interface offers a more streamlined view, highlighting crucial bits for better visibility. A new floating bar is added to the app, and it places most frequently used functions closer to the bottom of the screen for easier access. Finally, the wallpaper updates dynamically throughout the day based on the weather and other parameters.
SmartThings now also supports local controls, so users can still control devices directly over Wi-Fi, even without internet connectivity. The update also adds support for Matter v1.6, the latest version of the protocol, which enhances security between interacting devices.
The updated SmartThings UI is now available on Android (after the iOS interface was refreshed last week), as well as on other smart appliances, such as Samsung smart TVs, refrigerators, and other appliances with 7- or 9-inch displays and Smart Hub support.
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