Samsung SmartThings Now: local control and compatible hubs explained

Samsung announced SmartThings Now on October 6. Its Home-tab cards surface context-based controls and routine suggestions, while a lower floating bar puts common actions within reach.

The more interesting change is local control: Samsung says a phone and compatible SmartThings Hub on the same Wi-Fi network can communicate directly. Supported hardware includes SmartThings Station, V2/V3/V4 hubs, and specified hub-enabled TVs and Family Hub devices. Android and iOS are supported. This does not mean that every connected product or cloud service becomes fully functional offline.

Samsung claims roughly 30% faster responses under its controlled test conditions. That is the manufacturer’s result, not our measurement or a promise for your home.

Our priority is straightforward: pressing a light control should produce a predictable result. We would rather have a small, dependable system than add more devices without understanding how they communicate.

Local operation is a useful direction because it can reduce dependence on an external service for a basic household command. But the word “local” needs a specific scope. A light, a remote camera feed, and a voice assistant may have very different dependencies.

Start by identifying the hub model and the exact devices you control through it. Review the relevant support documentation for the action you want to perform. Do not assume a device will gain a new capability solely because the app looks different.

If you choose to test behavior during an internet interruption, use a nonessential device such as a spare lamp and keep a physical switch available. Leave locks, security equipment, and anything a household member relies on out of an experiment.

Review suggested automations before enabling them. Useful routines reflect the people living in the home; location-based suggestions should not silently become rules everyone has to accommodate.

Existing SmartThings households have a reason to examine this update. New buyers should still start with one useful task and verify compatibility from end to end. We would not replace working hubs or appliances merely to get the redesigned Home tab.