The world has now become a much more reliable place to live with the constant advancement in technologies. The fourth industrial revolution has influenced a lot of things. After mobile phones, other consumer gadgets are becoming connected and smarter. All thanks to the Internet of Things (IoT). The IoT technology has changed the way humans interact with their environment. Also, it influenced the way we live our lives.
Furthermore, these changes are influencing the decisions of industries to improve every aspect of their business. Those who adopt and integrate technology to get consumer data will enjoy this benefit. However, some players will find it more difficult to catch up with this space. This is similar to when mobile phones became smart some years ago.
With the present state of the world, Samsung should be able to enjoy the early benefit in the IoT space. As a player, this brand has been able to adopt the IoT technology in its devices to make things easier for consumers.
Samsung SmartThings
Samsung SmartThings has become popular and familiar in the IoT space today. This thread connects all Samsung devices and many third-party smart devices to SmartThings Cloud. The SmartThings app helps you manage and design your Smart Home.
Furthermore, Samsung has invested in its smart voice Assistant known as Bixby. Bixby is yet to be perfect as there are some improvements needed in this platform. However, there are some features it offers. It performs better compared to its adversaries. Bixby has the ability to understand complex instructions and natural language. Also, it is integrated with Samsung’s apps and as well understands the settings of Samsung.
Samsung IoT Home Environment
Samsung made an announcement about the release of its IoT home environment, which is the most recent iteration of SmartThings. The new user interface was designed to offer a seamless connected home experience. The IoT home environment doesn’t only feature a new visual layout, but also has more in-depth user experience and faster load times.
Samsung responded to the increasing demands of their customers by improving the user experience, hence making it simpler. SmartThings is a great platform that enables people to live a smarter life. As smart homes become more popular in advanced cities, the SmarThings is an ideal choice for smart home owners.
SmartThings allow users to have easy control over their electronics and with a high level of customizability. Also, this platform helps you ensure all your connected devices are secure. Samsung keeps offering IoT solutions that benefits its users.
What is Samsung IoT Hub?
The Samsung IoT hub offers you the ability to control and monitor your home. With this hub, users can monitor their home from anywhere they are. Also, the Samsung IoT hub offers you enhanced security for a small percentage of the cost of securing a traditional home. In the long run, this helps to save cost. Also, the Samsung SmartThings Hub helps you connect with your loved ones anytime.
This Hub is integrated in Canada and the US. The Samsung IoT Hub is capable of connecting all smart locks, outlets, thermostats, lights, and more and gives you control over these devices from the SmartThings app.
You can get notification about happenings in your home while using your smartphone to control energy usage, lighting, and security of your home. Furthermore, the SmartThings supports various smart devices from different brands. You can include as may SmartThings sensors as possible if you have the SmartThings hub. Also, you can add ZigBee, Z-wave, and other internet-connected products if you want to improve your connect home.
The Samsung SmartThings Hub is specially designed to connect to several compatible smart devices. Therefore, you can secure, monitor, and manage your home from anywhere. All you just need is to pair SmartThings devices with this hub to have control over your devices and customize your devices through the SmarThings app.
It is easy to install and use the Samsung SmartThings Hub. The Samsung SmartThings app makes this possible. All you just need to do is plug the hub and connect the Ethernet cable to your router. The Samsung SmartThings Hub and other compatible devices will be recognized immediately. Therefore, you can customize your settings to have a total control of your home. Also, this Hub has four AA batteries.
What does Samsung SmartThings App Comprise?
The SmartThings app designed by Samsung is into five different sections which are menu, automation, favorites, devices, and life.
Menu
The menu part of this app comprises miscellaneous features like settings, history, and notifications. It also has the SmartThings Lab. The SmartThings Lab is a platform where users can engage in advanced featire testing before releasing the features to a wider audience. Developers and engineers can enjoy free user experience testing due to the advanced features provided by the app. Also, they can get real-time feedback directly from actual users. This enables them correct any errors before the wider release of the feature.
Automation
This section enables users to design smart workflow where several devices function together as a system. With this, these devices can respond to certain happenings within the home like turning on light or music or a door opening.
Favorites
Favorites is a part of the SmartThings app that gathers the services, devices, and scenes the users accesses frequently. This helps the user gain quicker access to these things. The new layout of the app will look more natural by including the most frequently accessed features of the user as the first screen. Therefore, this helps to improve users experience and as well ensure connection with all their SmartThing integrated devices.
Devices
This part of the app enables users to have a clear view and control over devices within their smart home. In this case, users can easily access their light bulbs, appliances, home TVs, and other connected devices. Samsung keeps improving their SmartThings platform by expanding its offerings. Furthermore, Samsung has succeeded in creating a platform with several flexible ways to link IoT devices. All thanks to the implementation of the Matter protocol in the SmartThings ecosystem.
With the SmartThings platform, developers, devices, and service can have access to several certified brands. Also, there are millions of active users who help in driving innovation.
Life
The life section in the SmartThings app is where users get access to SmartThings services. The SmartThings services offer users the ability to explore the physical products and venture into user experiences with added value. Also, users have the opportunity to learn about improved functions and features of the SmartThings app. This goes beyond exploring living experiences and product experience.
Samsung IoT Solutions
Various operators have their specific interests and needs, therefore, offering a customized solution is crucial. Samsung offers its customers a wide range of solutions and products that meet the requirements of operators. Also, Samsung offers support to products and components that facilitate the IoT world.
IoT in Licensed Spectrum
It is possible to break down LPWA technologies based on if the technologies are in unlicensed or licensed spectrum. NB IoT and LTE-M refer to Cellular IoT (cIoT). These networks evolve from LTE technology. SIGFOX, LoRaWAN technology, and other short-range communication technologies are unlicensed spectrum.
Cellular IoT integrates the LTE network and works according to 3GPP standards. The base station of Samsung offers support to NB-IoT and LTE-M using a simple software upgrade.
The cellular IoT solution designed by Samsung adheres to the 3GPP IoT standards of NB-IoT, CAT-0, CAT-M, and CAT-1. These devices’ battery life is expected to last more than 10 years due to an Extended Discontinuous Reception (DRX) and a Power Saving Mode (PSM) function.
IoT Gateway
Samsung is prepared to offer an IoT solution for short range communication asides from the LPWA technology. This short range communication by Samsung is IoT gateway. We already know that Samsung offers strong WiFi Access Point and has included IoT technologies to the access point for developing IoT services.
The IoT gateway by Samsung is a multipurpose product that supports Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), WiFi, and Zigbee in a single unit. The BLE Beacon hub is capable of controlling several devices linked to the Access Point. Also, the WIPS sensor controls and checks the status of the users of gateway in real time. Thus, this prevents the maximization of security by unwarranted connections.
There are several use cases for this gateway. It can be integrated for automatic light control. This depends on the user convenience and the room occupancy. Also, the gateway can offer smart safety management. This is ideal in factories with crisis responses and occupant locating tracking. Samsung has a wide range of IoT solution portfolio which ranges from licensed to unlicensed, outdoor to indoor, and short range to long range. Also, operators can select any technology that is suitable for their environment.
IoT standalone base station
One of Samsung IoT solutions is its IoT standalone base station. This solution exclusively supports NB-IoT. The standalone base station is ideal for operators who are looking for ways to incorporate a dedicated IoT network. This base station is very easy to deploy and it features a radio unit and digital unit in one body.
Furthermore, the standalone base station is cost effective and features a small number of base stations required for covering very wide areas. These base stations don’t need co-location with the existing LTE cell site of the operator since they are usually integrated as an independent network.
Therefore, operators can design the independent network based on IoT demand and some IoT-related parameters. This type of IoT network is a perfect solution for rural areas and factories where there is no deployment of regular base stations. To maintain a good network operation, it is better to keep the IoT and LTE networks in separate ways.
What is Samsung IoT SE?
One of the major concerns of technologists today is IoT security. Technologists are seeking ways to ensure IoT is secured. Security is very vital when it comes to the Internet of Things. With several devices being connected to the internet and the increasing amount of sensitive data traversing networks, security becomes paramount. The use cases of IoT will become limited if security isn’t put in place.
According to Statista, about 21.5 billion devices will be connected to the internet by 2025. Samsung has made efforts to embed security in every part of the IoT system. To offer solutions to security issues, Samsung launched its IoT SE (Secure Element). The Samsung IoT SE is an advanced and trusted solution in the IoT space. This solution is a combination of dedicated software with powerful security hardware.
Samsung IoT SE comprises software and hardware from Samsung. The hardware part of this solution stops and resets when an abnormal activity is detected. Therefore, it safeguards sensitive information stored within the IC of the solution. Also, Samsung IoT integrates eFlash to enable more flexible modifications and faster data processing.
The software part of this solution provides dedicated software to offer support to different tasks like security key storage, personal verification, and crypto operation. Samsung IoT SE is a standalone solution that functions independently from the security performance of the main processor of the device. Therefore, this helps in exploring the security capabilities of IoT applications, mobile devices, and other devices.
Furthermore, the Samsung IoT SE meets the requirements of the hardware security module for crypto operations. With this Samsung IoT solution, manufacturers can be sure that devices manufactured at an off-site location don’t have non-authorized firmware.
Conclusion
Various operators have their specific interests and needs, therefore, offering a customized solution is crucial. Samsung offers its customers a wide range of solutions and products that meet the requirements of operators.
Samsung offers a wide range of IoT solutions which has contributed to the development of IoT devices. One of Samsung IoT solutions is its IoT standalone base station. This solution exclusively supports NB-IoT. The standalone base station is ideal for operators who are looking for ways to incorporate a dedicated IoT network. This base station is very easy to deploy and it features a radio unit and digital unit in one body.
