Samsung Electronics has announced that it will partner with fellow members of the Home Connectivity Alliance (HCA), including LG and Vestel, to build out interoperability within the smart home better.
Samsung revealed that during Q4 2023, members of the HCA will begin the adoption of Interface Specification 1.0, which supports the use of certain home appliances and HVAC systems. This will be enabled in eight countries, including the U.S., the U.K., Germany, France, and more. This collaboration aims to help build a better framework for “C2C cross-control and will establish a strong foundation for home connectivity to provide meaningful benefits for consumers.”
For instance, this could mean that a user will soon be able to control their LG dryer by using the Samsung SmartThings app. Alternatively, the LG ThinQ app may soon be able to monitor Samsung appliances around the hope. The same can theoretically be said about their respective TVs and displays. A user may be able to have access to controls and settings via the competitor’s app. In a way, it’s a similar structure as we’re seeing built by Matter, which entangles Apple, Google, Amazon, etc.
“It is great to see HCA bring its first example of interoperability to market with global leaders in the appliance, HVAC and TV industries. It is a testament to the commitment of large device manufacturers to serve our consumers in their homes better,” Chanwoo Park, Executive Vice President and Head of the Service Biz Group, Digital Appliances Business at Samsung Electronics said. “By enabling consumers to control multiple brands of appliances and HVAC products through apps such as SmartThings, we expect the smart home market to achieve new levels of scale. Global leaders will be able to fuel enhanced digital services that provide consumers with new benefits, and Samsung is steadfast in its commitment to HCA and its vision.”
This will mark the first time Samsung and LG are collaborating on such a level that users will be able to control respective devices from the other’s app. In 2024, the HCA’s Interface Specification 2.0 will look to add energy management functionality and include “additional product lines.” This is said to include electric vehicle chargers.
Currently, there’s no word on when this form of interoperability is set to arrive in Canada. Samsung states expansion to other regions is expected “at a later date.”
