When Samsung unveils its 2016 TV line-up next week at CES, the company will talk about how the TVs can control the smart home. Samsung says that all of its “SUHD” TVs will have a SmartThings hub integrated.

SUHD TVs can control your home
Every 2016 Smart TV from Samsung will be able to connect to the SmartThings platform, which is Samsung’s version of an “Internet of Things” platform. However, only the premium SUHD models will be capable of acting as a hub. The other 2016 Smart TVs will require an USB adaptor.

The TVs will communicate with IoT devices that support Samsung’s SmartThings platform. Samsung acquired the company in 2014 and says that more than 200 devices, ranging from sensors to cameras, are certified, including Philips Hue and Honeywell.


- “With Samsung Smart TVs working with the SmartThings technology, we have an opportunity to reach millions of households,” said Alex Hawkinson, CEO and co-founder of SmartThings. “Applying this technology into current household devices is a major step forwards that will make it much easier for everyone to experience the benefits of a smart home.”

The company imagines one scenario where “customers can check when visitors arrive and choose to open their front door, directly from their sofa. Motion sensor alerts can also pop-up directly on the TV screen, if movement outside the home is picked up, providing more security and peace of mind, whether at home or away.”

The TVs can be set up to control macros such as a “Cinema Mood” where the TV automatically dims room lighting and turns on the surround receiver once the movie starts playing.

Samsung’s home country competitor LG has already integrated IoT technology into its TVs. LG launched the first models in 2014 based on the open source Alljoyn platform.

Samsung will unveil its 2016 TVs at CES 2016 in Las Vegas next week. The company will demonstrate how the TVs can connect to lamps, locks, thermostats, cameras and more. FlatpanelsHD is in Las Vegas.