The latest update for the Samsung Galaxy Watch series connects the watches more closely with IoT devices in the home smart home. The whole thing works with both Samsung and third-party devices that are integrated into the SmartThings platform. The update, version number v1.1.08, will be rolled out for the Galaxy Watch5 and Watch5 Pro as well as the Galaxy Watch4 and Watch4 Classic.
After installation, the Samsung smartwatches can control the thermostat by setpoint temperature for heating or cooling. You can also open and close automatic blinds or adjust the height. In addition, you can control the fan speed of air purifiers in the house. And if you miss a SmartTag, you can use your Smartwatch to make the tag ring.
In addition, with the update, you can live stream videos from home and doorbell cameras. This works with Ring and Nest cameras that support WebRTC. For example, if someone rings the doorbell, you can see and even talk to that person on the Galaxy Watch. The update also allows Galaxy Watches to control Samsung Smart TVs that support Bluetooth and are within range. Accessing SmartThings controls is as easy as swiping right on the watch face.
Samsung recently teamed up with other manufacturers using the Matter protocol. This has significantly increased the number of devices that can be integrated into the SmartThings network. Samsung has also announced a new SmartThings Station – a multifunctional hub for those just starting out with their smart home.
New Phone Link feature: Recent sites
Samsung is also continuing to work on closer networking for smartphones. Samsung Galaxy smartphones are usually the first to enable new features in Microsoft’s Phone Link app, which connects Android devices to Windows computers. The new feature is called “Recent Websites” and seamlessly continues the last browser session from the phone on a Samsung Galaxy Book notebook.
How it works is pretty simple. Just open the Phone Link app or the flyout menu in the taskbar and you will directly see a list of recently visited websites from the Galaxy phone. You can tap on a single web page or open all of them directly and they will be loaded into the notebook’s browser. The whole thing is just a foretaste of the upcoming new functions. Samsung will launch the Galaxy S23 series and the new Galaxy Book3 notebooks on February 1st with even more new connectivity features.
The new feature is not tied to a specific version of Galaxy phone or Galaxy Book. An update of the Phone Link app on Windows and the Link to Windows app on Android is sufficient. Once you’ve updated the two apps and connected the devices, you should be able to use the new feature.
