Definitely the latter:
“So Long, SmartThings … We’ve also tired of SmartThings as a hub.”
Considering the magnitude of the project (they bought a whole house for goshsakes!), the articles are disappointingly short on details.
Somehow I have a subscription to “CNET Magazine” (quarterly), which like many mags is really just a catalog for their advertisers. Apparently Samsung hasn’t paid their extra dues for SmartThings inclusion (barely mentioned in the Spring issue).
The web doesn’t have the content length constraints, so the odd choice of focus — home security control via Amazon Echo/Alexa — is frustrating. Yet in that context they are accurate regarding SmartThings lack of Alexa response skills to questions about the current stare of the home, as well as the lack of official support for home security activation commands. Smart Home Monitor is SmartThings’s flagship app for security and safety, and it is not Alexa integrated.
In the past week, SmartThings made it clear that unpublished (i.e., non-Marketplace) SmartApps will officially not receive assistance from Support@SmartThings.com. This has made me change my official position: I am no longer concerned that the media ignores the effort & options the Community provides to extend & improve the product. SmartThings has done nothing to promote (and support) how the Community benefits the Consumer, so why should the critical media?
CNET’s dismissal of SmartThings in this article is not explained with sufficient details, and that is a big disappointment. They are not Consumer Reports. Whether the conclusion is good or bad, SmartThings deserves a deep, deep dive review… CNET has the dedicated home, time, webspace, and (can find) the resources necessary for this beneficial task.