Is SmartThings ADT dead? (July 2019) (Lifeshield/Blue by ADT Acquisition and Support comments on EOL)

What website are you looking at?

Looks to me like there is no way to buy the SmartThings ADT hub or ADT sensors from the Samsung/SmartThings website any longer. The only supply the SmartThings site points to is Amazon. And there isn’t much on Amazon either, other than the starter kit.

The Samsung website linked in my post

Lifeshield Has now (June 2019) completed the restructuring of their offering since the ADT acquisition. (Of course they may change it again later after they see how this one does.)

They no longer require any long-term contracts, it’s all month to month with automatic renewal. You have to cancel 15 days in advance to keep from being charged for the next month.

Monitoring Costs are low: $19.99 for the base plan or $24.99 per month for the one with video storage.

They are using ADT canopy for their monitoring service, which includes fire service callouts. (That’s a good thing)

They now emphasize their selfmonitoring option, and unlike prior to the ADT acquisition, their app will work even if you are not paying the monthly fee. They also work with Google assistant or Alexa.

They work with IFTTT or zwave for their home automation. I haven’t found any reviews of the app, but I would guess the rules engine is pretty basic. Most of their examples push IFTTT.

They require that you have a broadband Internet connection 24/7 or that you pay extra for their cellular communications module. It’s hard to tell exactly what runs in the cloud.

They have integrated video using their own brand cameras.

The system is now being sold at Amazon at $229 For a 15 piece package:

Hub ( they call it a base)

Wi-Fi camera ( they have both an indoor and an outdoor model, I’m not sure which one is included in this bundle)

Touch panel

Secondary keypad

4 window sensors

Two pet friendly motion sensors

Key Fob

Fire safety acoustic sensor

Repeater? ( they make one, but I can’t tell if that’s what’s in the picture or if that’s the base)

It appears that they count the yard sign and window stickers as “pieces“ in the package. Yard sign and stickers now say “ ADT.”

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They also make a glass break sensor and a leak sensor but so far you have to buy those from their own site.

The system supports the use of multiple keypads, but I don’t know how many. They do suggest putting one by the front door and one by the back door.

List prices for individual pieces look pretty typical for the industry, maybe a little on the low side at $15-$30 each. But it looks like they run sign-up sales which brings the price down further.

Prior to the ADT acquisition they had a $130 activation fee, but it looks like they may have dropped that for the month to month service.

And they have really improved their trial period guarantee:

  1. 30 Day Money Back Guarantee. LifeShield offers a 30-day money back guarantee from the date of purchase on both purchased equipment and leased equipment. The 30-day money back guarantee refund includes upfront costs, including an activation fee when applicable, less shipping. Customer must return both purchased equipment and leased equipment, along with any and/or all promotional items within 60 days to receive a refund.

BTW, this company also holds multiple patents, including one on their fallover communication standard which is intended to allow the system to switch between high-speed broadband and landline and includes text messaging to the monitoring center.

The biggest negative now may be the range from the base to the security sensors, which will probably be under 40 feet.

Lifeshield uses a 345MHz frequency to connect to sensors — but uses Z-Wave and IFTTT to connect to other smart devices like locks, lights, smart thermostats

My guess is this is the system that ADT now intends to compete with Ring Alarm.

I’m not saying this is necessarily a great system, I’m just saying it’s a formidable candidate in the low-cost “monitoring optional“ security system Category.

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Speaking of Ring Alarm, i saw on the display it works with SmartThings. I don’t even know what that means. What is the level of integration between two seperate hubs?

It doesn’t. The ring doorbell does, so they probably used the wrong sign. :rage:

There’s a limited community – built integration for the security system, but it’s pretty technical and requires another device as a “man in the middle“ server.

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Bah, common Samsung, pull your collective heads out of you know where and finish your product… I swear, what is the point of it? I don’t want two products with significant overlap.

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To fan the flames:

Here’s May 24 menu. notice “Security & Monitoring” under the Smart Home header

Here’s today

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While I can honestly say, this doesn’t shock me in the slightest. As I posted about my integration, ADT SmartThings was a risk I was willing to take due to price and features.

Even if they quit selling it, I am going to keep using my system as long as it is supported and funcitonal, and at that time, I will likely migrate away from Samsung.

Perhaps by then, Hubitat will be a bit more mature and ready for prime time. Or the Arcus project will have taken off and have a reasonable path forward for former Iris users…

Don’t get me wrong, I am going to hang on with ADT SmartThings as long as I can, but if the choice is between regular smartthings, and something else that supports things like a keypad and home security, and I am going to look at the something else…

Honestly, I don’t see this as a good replacement product for ADT SmartThings. I get the ADT part of it, but as I understand the Home Automation support of this system, there is no Zigbee, and no Zwave Plus support, just first gen Zwave… It sure doesn’t look good from those perspectives, plus the environment just doesn’t seem quite as mature.

I think Samsung / ADT are making a mistake if they are abandoning this platform / collaboration. Like I have said here, and other places though, it seems like making poor choices that are not exactly consumer friendly seems to be par for the course in DIY home security and home automation markets.

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Its likely all ADT’s decision, Samsung probably had no say… but Samsung just isn’t trying hard enough to complete their platform.

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I’m sure it is. While I have a bit of a dog in this fight, I would have preferred they bought Iris and extended it… But oh well…

And lSamsung isn’t trying hard enough to complete their platform… put any company name that is in the home security / ha platform market and the statement rings true…

I guess the question is, will ADT orphan the platform and if they do, would it be possible to have someone else pick up the service to monitor our systems? I love my system, and the SmartThings integration, and would hate to have to dig for another platform…

If Samsung wants to compete with Google and Amazon, they need a security offering that has, in this order:

  1. Professional monitoring
  2. Keypad support
  3. Cellular backup
  4. Battery backup

Amazon has ring alarm and Google has the nest secure.

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Quite right, it’s not a direct competitor for the ADT/Smartthings system. As I mentioned, I see it as a competitor for the ring alarm system. In the DIY monitoring optional security category, with the bonus of IFTTT integration for some lights.

Definitely not a substitute for complex Home Automation rules.

They had it with the ADT SmartThings.

#1. Professional monitoring. ADT. Too high cost compared to Ring at least, however note below…
#2. Keypad support. The ADT security hub has a built in touch screen keypad. Secondary / tertiary keypads would be a great addition though!
#3. Cellular backup. Got it. I don’t think Ring has cellular backup even available.
#4. Battery backup. Yep. got that…

Where ADT ST falls short IMHO.
#1. Too much reliance on cloud services, not enough local processing. Regular ST is worse.
#2. Only native keypad support is the touch screen. I would LOVE a keypad at the front door, back door, and garage door.
#3. Monitoring of third party devices for smoke alarm and glass breakage. All smart smoke detectors I am aware of are battery powered, my city won’t allow for them, all smoke alarms MUST be mains powered here. Alexa Guard monitoring would be awesome, but again that would require cooperation from Amazon, not likely to happen. Perhaps a small, listener sensor would be great.
#4. Better battery backup support.

I spent a good amount of time researching replacements for Iris, and knew there was a better than good chance ADT ST would become flaky after not too long.

What I can tell for sure is that the manufacturers don’t seem to take consumer or integrator desires into their product development decisions.

Honestly, and I doulbt they will be able to do it due to contractual restrictions, but from a consumer standpoint, making firmware changes to ADT ST to allow for other / third party monitoring, or even better allowing for Smart Home Monitor monitoring as well, would blunt the impact of losing the ADT SmartThings integration…

It appears to have been Samsung‘s decision in the EU to cancel the ADT partnership and go with Vodafone for the security offering there instead.

The ADT system for the UK was announced, but then withdrawn before it was deployed. And the Vodafone partnership came in about the same time.

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I don’t see that ever happening for devices with ADT logos on them.

What I could see happening is ADT agreeing to keep just the monthly contract ADT part of the ADT/smartthings model system alive for existing customers Who want it. That runs locally, it’s already siloed off from the SmartThings stuff, it already uses the ADT canopy monitoring system. They could just switch people over to the ADT canopy app.

That would leave smartthings to take the brunt of the public relations hit and no issues with the logo.

I’m not saying they will, I’m just saying that’s what would make sense to me from ADT’s perspective. They support a lot of their legacy systems for a long time Anyway.

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Like I said, I doubt they will be able to di it… And yeah, ADT does have a reputation for supporting their legacy stuff for a long time. I.E. a neighbor has a 15+ year old ADT system that is still supported. I wouldn’t want to replace that thing, everything is hard wired… Ugh.

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At $99 as it is on Amazon right now, doesn’t the ADT panel work similar to v3 with a battery backup should they yank support?

It said it used to be $500 on Amazon. What’s thee lowest prices you have seen the ADT/ST panels marked down to?

https://charts.camelcamelcamel.com/us/B077JRBSSZ/new.png?force=1&zero=0&w=725&h=440&desired=false&legend=1&ilt=1&tp=all&fo=0&lang=en

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