Acquired by Samsung back in 2014 for an estimated $200 million, the SmartThings platform had an unusually strong presence at last month’s Consumer Electronics Show, gaining aptly named new Cooking, Pet, and Find services in its bold endeavor to “drive the future of IoT” and take home automation to new heights and connected living areas.
The idea is to basically offer advanced access to unfinished features and tools for people who would like to bring their contribution to the development of said features and provide valuable feedback while trying out new things before the masses. In other words, you’re looking at a public beta testing program of sorts for stuff like Universal Remote Control, Virtual Switch, TV Quick Control, and Device as a Bluetooth Keyboard functionality.
Of the four beta capabilities listed above, Universal Remote Control arguably looks the closest to something that should already be a widely available thing, bringing multiple compatible devices together on a single screen so you can operate everything from your air conditioner and air purifier to your home surveillance camera, smart speaker, set-top box, and TV with minimal effort.
