B2B networking
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Without them, ST would have been dead years ago.
I’m not sure if I really want an answer, but why don’t they pay MC (for example) a handsome sum and merge most of his drivers into “main”?
If I didn’t have those driver channels, I would have switched to HA a long time ago.
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I didn’t think I would send anything either, but when I’m bored I go looking for puddles to get into 
I didn’t think I would be in the final either, since I don’t think we are the target of either Samsung or SmartThings, and after seeing SDC24 I’m even more clear about it.
We really represent very little for the platform business.
- we don’t generate WWS clients, we take them away, adding devices from many manufacturers to the platform for free
- Our modest work is aimed at a very specific niche of users, which Samsung and SmartThings are only interested in if this helps them to enter in their platform and become consumers of their smart appliances, phones,…which is one of their main businesses.
Users also don’t like it costing them even a euro more than they paid when buying their device, the only thing they care about is that it works!
Therefore I don’t feel upset, it’s part of the game and I like playing this game, for now
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I don’t know… There was a phase when people were buying a 4 pack of smart plugs for 30 bucks only to realize that they won’t last long. Now there are companies like Eve Systems with one plug for 40 bucks and it seems that they are doing well.
Like many of us, I follow the discussions on Reddit and other forums and I can feel that there is a paradigm shift. Away from WiFi and the cloud, for example, or realizing that a hub is somewhat important. It wasn’t like that two, three years ago.
The cheap random no-name bulb from AliExpress doesn’t just work, the Nanoleaf does. And people are realizing that just now.
(Whenever I’m frustrated with ST, I check the SmartLife subreddit and I feel instantly better.)
With Matter, every appliance will work with every platform. Samsung had its own OCF/WiFi stuff that of course only worked with their own app(s) and later with ST, but these times are over.
The only way to get new customers into their platform is compatibility with even the most obscure devices… Click this link, enroll, install driver, add your Woox Siren, have fun!
Just my two cents.
I just leave this here:
smartthings edge:channels:invites <invite id> --yaml | grep acceptances
Someone should collect this data and the top three channels with the most acceptances should get a TV at SDC25…
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May be!
The truth is that there are fewer and fewer active developers in the community.
This new platform requires constant support of drivers for device inclusion and maintenance, which ends up tiring most people.
After the critical phase of migration to Edge, the need for the inclusion of new devices has decreased. Many manufacturers already have their own driver channels where some developers from the community now work.
Smartthings has made it very easy for manufacturers to make their devices work on the new platform, only the price to pay can be an obstacle and I imagine that they will also be working on that aspect.
The most necessary thing now is the customization of functions and configurations in existing devices.
That matter is not going to be fixed either, in my opinion. The devices will work on several platforms, but with the basic functions. The customized functions they will continue to be only on the platform of the product manufacturer and there will be many manufacturers that only offer the basic functions to everyone so as not to have excessive development and maintenance costs.
On open source platforms like this one, there will always be the possibility of modifying drivers and adding custom functions and configurations, but someone will have to do it and the vast majority of users do not want to pay extra for that, they want it for free if possible.
On the other hand, the replacement of groovy smartApps has been a failure. The fact that they now require a server for the user to run them and their non-local operation is a major brake on their development and has made routines and API rules replace them with more or less success.
According to SDC24, it seems that AI will provide that customization of functions for everyone!!!
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Very well said!
(Someone should bring up the idea of an HACS equivalent for ST for the next innovation challenge.)
Yes, we have seen that with folks like @philh30 and @TAustin practically disappearing from the community. And with ST constantly making changes that require developers to update their drivers, I fear we will get to the point where there is no ongoing support/development for the existing body of work 
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Manufacturers will continue to sell their hubs and Matter bridges will be the way forward for quite some long time.
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I skimmed the SmartThings keynote speech. I didn’t find it comfortable viewing. Using the mobile app as a metaphor, it is like all they really care about is the apps in the ‘Life’ tab and imposing their ideas of how their customers should live their lives upon them.
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I know something that could enhance it but links seemed broken, implementing the TREL (Encapsulation Link) part of the Thread over infrastructure spec before opening up the network to third-party border routers.
Currently I’m able to have Apple & Google Thread Border Routers as part of my HomeAssistant network (and all 3 support TREL)
but the Aeotec Hub & SmartThings Station seem to have their own Samsung network together that I can’t link to my main one. 
and the Samsung TV doesn’t even join them either
I thought recent advances in Thread 1.3/1.4 were supposed to fix this fragmentation issue but it seems like it has to be a vendor-side solution now.
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