Samsung launches SmartThings Station to elevate smart home experience

At a CES press conference on Wednesday, Samsung launched a new addition to its SmartThings smart home experience–the SmartThings Station. The station will function as a smart home hub for all your connected devices while having the look and functionality of a charging pad. 

The SmartHome Station converts Samsung's wireless charger into a smart home hub that can control every aspect of your home at the press of a button. Using the SmartThings Station, users will be able to create routines on the SmartThings app that can then be activated by tapping the Smart Button found on pad. 

Instead of having to individually turn devices on and off, through the use of pre-set routines on the app and the SmartThings Station, you can control all your devices with one command. For example, a quick tap before going to bed can activate a night routine that includes shutting off lights, closing blinds and lowering temperature, according to Samsung. 

The SmartThings Station also doubles as a charger and supports 15W of wireless charging. It will be available in black or white in the US and Korea beginning in early February, according to Samsung. No price has been officially disclosed, although Samsung has said the pad is affordable.

SmartThings has been a key player in carrying Samsung's sustainability efforts saving people money with lower energy bills while also helping the environment. SmartThings Energy's AI Energy Mode includes up to 15% more savings for compatible refrigerators, 20% more savings for compatible air conditioners and up to 35% more savings for compatible washers on select cycles, according to Samsung. 

As a result, SmartThings became the first mass-market Smart Home Energy Management System to be awarded the Energy Star Shems Certification by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

In addition to SmartThings, Samsung announced several partnerships meant to reach sustainability goals. Patagonia and Samsung partnered to combat microplastic fibers that shed during laundry washing cycles and end up in oceans, lakes and rivers. 

Together, the companies developed a new wash technology called the Less Microfiber Cycle which reduces the microplastic release, according to Samsung. This feature is already available in washing machines in Europe, and will be available in Korea in February and the US soon after. The feature will not be limited to Samsung washing machines.

A partnership between Samsung and Philips Hue will allow users to control Philips Hue lighting from their Samsung TV through a new Philips Hue Sync TV app that can be downloaded on Samsung TVs from the app store, according to Samsung. 

In accordance with sustainability goals, the tech-giant also shared that many of its smartphones and TVs are created from recycled plastic such as material from discarded fishing nets.