South Korean electronics giant Samsung is introducing householders in 97 countries this month to a more holistic smart home experience.

This comes from the global launch of SmartThings Home Life, an addition to the SmartThings app that provides centralised and integrated control over Samsung appliances.

Connecting the convenience of six SmartThings services – cooking, energy, clothing care, pet care, air care and home care, Home Life expands the quality of life at home and puts users in control, all from their smartphone. In the app, users can tap the Life tab to navigate to SmartThings Home to unlock home connectivity options.

With 270 global partners and the ability to integrate with thousands of devices, SmartThings is enjoyed by close to a quarter of a billion registered users. What’s more, its updated Family Hub, available in July, adds to an expansion of experience at home with AI features that bring convenience to daily routines.

“Our goal is to harness connectivity between smart devices to enrich and streamline everyday routines,” said Chanwoo Park, executive vice president at Samsung. “The global launch of SmartThings Home Life will expand our services and empower users everywhere to focus less on their daily tasks and more on living in each moment.”

SmartThings Cooking is a cooking service that does it all, from finding recipes and auto-setting appliances to managing shopping lists and preserving food. Powered by Whisk’s Food AI, Cooking recommends personalised recipes and meal plans based on users’ tastes, dietary needs and groceries on hand. Whether users are defrosting frozen meats with a barcode or shopping for groceries through the Whisk network, Cooking communicates directly with all Samsung’s smart kitchen appliances, such as Family Hub, ranges, ovens and cooktops for a seamless cooking experience.

Supporting virtually all products throughout the kitchen, living and laundry areas, SmartThings Energy lets users to take control of their energy consumption by providing real-time information on where and how energy is used within the home. By analysing the energy used by devices and appliances connected to the platform, Energy reports monthly power usage and predicts future power consumption using AI.

Thanks to AI Saving mode, SmartThings Energy will also automatically turn on the energy saving mode on connected home devices, helping reduce energy bills and carbon footprint. A bespoke AI washer and dryer will be added to Energy’s line of devices in the second half of this year, before expanding to more connected devices around the home.

Samsung’s Zero Energy Home pilot project, developed in collaboration with Q-Cells to give homes the ability to be energy self-sufficient, is set to install the system in 30 homes of the ongoing Project Etopia. Moving forward, the programme will expand to implement the system in more households, combining the power of SmartThings Energy with Q Cells’ solar panel and energy storage systems.

SmartThings Clothing Care connects all clothing care devices, such as the bespoke dryer, AirDresser, ShoeDresser and all AI washers, to provide clothing management with services tailored to the householder’s lifestyle. The service offers customised care options based on garments’ material types.

What’s more, Clothing Care offers practical AI recommendations based on usage patterns and the season and reminds users to purchase laundry supplies regularly to keep clothing fresh and the laundry room stocked.

Now, pet owners can care for their furry friends even when they’re not at home. When a pet is alone at home, SmartThings Pet Care will automatically play music or TV shows, offering them a sense of security and companionship. Users can even keep an eye on their pets remotely by accessing the smart camera of their Jet Bot AI+. In addition, by adjusting the settings on appliances such as lights, air conditioners and air purifiers, users can make the home more comfortable and safer for pets while they’re away.

SmartThings Air Care keeps users up to date with information about the air quality inside and outside the home. They can enjoy air quality monitoring and purifying all in one place, as it provides centralised control of the bespoke air conditioner, air purifier and more.

SmartThings Home Care keeps tabs on all connected Samsung household devices, including bespoke appliances, by checking their status and usage patterns, providing information about accessories, and enabling online purchases. This service sends notifications and guides users on regular maintenance based on the collected usage data, such as cleaning each device and replacing specific components.

By letting SmartThings take care of the home, users can troubleshoot home appliance issues independently without relying on a repairer for simple tasks.

Since its launch in 2016, the Family Hub has been updated to offer the latest in connected experiences for Samsung refrigerator users, transforming refrigerators into communication and entertainment hubs for the kitchen. The Family Hub also doubles as a home control for the SmartThings app.

In its latest update launching in July, Family Hub’s features offer more entertainment, smart features and connectivity to the kitchen. For instance, Smart Reorders helps consumers order and replace water filters. Users can stay entertained while they cook, as the Samsung TV Plus app lets them enjoy a variety of live TV programmes, including news, music, kids and food channels. Atelier allows households to decorate their kitchens and refrigerator screens with artwork, while a dual AI voice assistant enables consumers to access the features of Amazon’s Alexa and Samsung’s Bixby on one device. Family Hub’s upgraded food recognition technology allows for better food and drink identification and management, and Smart Recipes helps users create meals with easy-to-follow instructions.