Samsung updates SmartThings platform with enhanced family care and AI features
Samsung has announced several updates to its SmartThings platform to enhance how users care for their families and manage daily life.
The updated Family Care service connects SmartThings to various home appliances and mobile devices, providing notifications and reminders for aging parents—including medication schedules, hospital visits, and location alerts. The service also introduces Care on Call, allowing caregivers to view key information like the day’s first activity time, recent activity, and local weather via a floating pop-up before calling the care recipient.
Furthermore, SmartThings monitors devices like air purifiers and humidifiers for indoor temperature, humidity, and air quality. If unusual usage patterns are detected, caregivers receive immediate notifications and can remotely control the relevant appliance.
The Safety Patrol feature, which uses a Bespoke AI Jet Bot Steam Ultra, is also enhanced; if the care recipient’s activity stops for a set period, users receive alerts and can activate the feature remotely.
Care Insight has been improved to provide more actionable, long-term data by analyzing deviations in temperature, humidity, and changes in activity levels compared to previous weeks.
Meanwhile, the Now Brief feature will integrate a wider range of key SmartThings services, keeping users informed about their family and home conditions. In addition to existing reports on Home Insight, Energy, and Sleep Environment, Now Brief will support Home Security, Family Care, and Pet Care with the launch of the Galaxy S26 series.
Users will not need to manually activate the feature, as it will automatically activate when they approach a TV or interact with a Family Hub refrigerator. The expanded Now Brief provides updates on home device status, energy usage, overnight sleep status, and parental daily activity.
Samsung plans to roll out the new Now Brief capabilities in phases to TVs launched in 2024 or later, and to Family Hub refrigerators launched in 2021 or later.
