Samsung goes after Apple at home with new Connect Home hub

Setting up a smart home is no easy task. First you need to decide what smart home platform you want (Amazon Echo, Google Home, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, or maybe something else?) and then you need to find smart devices that are compatible with it.

Though Samsung's owned SmartThings for a few years now, the platform isn't exactly as approachable as the Echo, HomeKit or Google Home.

To change that, Samsung's introducing two things: a new smart home hub called the Samsung Connect Home and a new smart home app called Samsung Connect.

At its core, the Samsung Connect Home is a 2x2 MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) Wi-Fi router that acts as the hub for connecting all of your smart home and Internet-of-Things devices. There's also a more powerful 4x4 MIMO Connect Home Pro.

Any SmartThings-compatible device can connect to the Connect Home, including Philips Hue light bulbs and internet-connected Samsung devices such as the company's smart refrigerators and robot vacuums.

While one Connect Home will suffice for most homes, you can also purchase and connect additional Connect Home hubs to create a mesh network to better blanket your home with Wi-Fi, just like with Google Wifi, Eero or Luma.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

By itself, the Connect Home is an elegant solution that plays nice with many different devices, but it's the Connect app that ties everything together.

With the app, you've got a centralized command center where you can monitor and control all of your devices. In addition to using it to turn devices on and off, you can also use the app to create automated schedules for certain tasks. For example, you could use the app to tell your Samsung robot vacuum to clean up your home at a set time after you leave for work.

The app is very much Samsung's answer to Apple's own Home app introduced with iOS 10. The fact that it's accessible within the notification panel on the Galaxy S8 and S8+ (also similar to the Home panel within Control Center) suggests Samsung is getting serious about the smart home. The kiddie gloves are now off.