Samsung’s CES 2024 appearance isn’t only highlighted by the company’s innovations in large screens and appliances, but also the company’s smart home platform SmartThings, which is getting several key new features and improvements such as Map View alongside new integrations with Tesla energy products.

These features include the ability to control smart home systems with a TV functioning as a SmartThings Hub, a new Map View feature, and the ability to share smart home devices with family, friends and guests through a QR code.

Samsung says users will be able to use the SmartThings TV Quick Panel as an interface for quick access to core functions via a remote control, bridging the gap between Samsung TV features and connectivity without impacting content viewing. Users can access the TV Quick Panel to manage devices, view cameras and even ring their phone when it’s lost in the couch cushions.

Samsung says this new feature allows users to oversee their entire smart home without taking their eyes off their Samsung TV. In fact, the TV will also turn on as users approach it, presenting their home’s entertainment as well as information about their devices and appliances.

Users can see their home’s camera feed, temperature and even remaining time in their laundry cycle from the TV Quick Panel, the company says.

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The SmartThings improvements also include a new Now+ display that syncs with TVs to guide users through switching music sources from their Buds to the TV speaker or sound bar. This feature also offers a comprehensive summary of the home, including insights into cameras and energy consumption, Samsung says.

In addition, users can leverage the new TV Hue Sync to control lighting and create an immersive viewing experience by syncing TV content and ambient lighting. This is designed to make lights and colors match on-screen animation, the company says.

Samsung isn’t the only company to make the TV the center of the smart home, as LG and Google announced a partnership in which LG TVs are getting Chromecast built-in and Google Home support.

In another SmartThings update similar to a recently announced Alexa feature, Samsung is unveiling the Map View feature, a new smart home interface that shows floor plans with integrated smart home technologies in each room.

Devices will be visually represented within the home’s layout, which is designed to make smart device control easier and more convenient. The feature is designed to help users make more sense of their smart home system. Instead of just a list of rooms and devices, users can navigate the 3D map to the desired room to control each device in that room. Users can see their entire smart home ecosystem at a glance.

Map View can be activated on TVs or mobile devices, and users can see real-time camera feeds, temperature, laundry machine information, energy usage and other smart home data. Users can also customize their layout by adding furniture, enabling device monitoring, and control directly from the map interface.

Map View also includes new AI characters that can mimic family members and even pets. For example, characters will appear to be sweating when the home is too warm.

The 3D layout can be created using AI for homes with internet-available floor plans. Users can simply input their address to automatically create their layout. Users can also take a photo of their floor plan and SmartThings will convert it into a 3D layout. Users can even sketch their floor plan in the app to generate the layout.

In addition, Samsung’s LiDAR enabled devices such as the Jet Bot vacuum or the new Ballie AI robot demonstrated at CES 2024 can be used to scan the home and generate a floor plan automatically.

Samsung is also bringing a new way to share smart devices with family, friends and guests with QR codes. The codes can be used to add new family members or caregivers to the home’s interface, allowing them to control relevant smart home devices for a pre-defined duration. This allows guests to unlock doors, set the temperature and other functions.

The company bills this as a method of parental control as well as secure guest access and management, giving them the ability to share control over certain devices with a QR code. Additionally, this feature allows homeowners to designate device lists shared to each member of the  home, and each family member can trigger an allowed, shared routine among those shared devices.

Each code is available on one person only, and they are available for only give minutes before they regenerate for extra security.

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