After Samsung acquired SmartThings last year for about $200 million, it had announced its big plans in the home automation arena during IFA 2014. Samsung announced an update to its home automation platform, Smart Home, with an ability to work with third-party devices such as digital door locks and IP cameras. It was expected that newer smart hubs and sensors would be available starting April, but it looks like we might have to wait for some more time to see their next-generation equipment in action.
SmartThings has announced on its official blog that the new Hub and SmartSense Multi, Presence, and Motion have been designed, built, and are being actively field tested. The company now plans to release them sometime in Q3 2015, however there's still no firm launch date. The new hub promises faster performance through AppEngine – a way to run apps locally instead of running them in the cloud. It also includes a battery backup, so that some functions can work even without power through cellular data. This also makes sure that certain automations which are driven by ZigBee, Z-Wave, or LAN-connected devices will continue to work even if you lose your Internet connection.
The company says that it is testing the equipments rigorously to find the reason for recent service outages.
