[OBSOLETE] differences between "SmartThings Classic" (the V2 app) and “SmartThings (Samsung Connect)” (the V3 app)

this thread is intended only as a listing of specific differences between the two apps, not for complaints, suggestions, discussions of design philosophy, bug reports, questions about migration, joke memes or anything else. Just individual feature differences. We originally used the abbreviation STSC for “SmartThings (Samsung Connect)”, but that never caught on, so now we are calling it the V3 app since it came out with the V3 hub. The V3 app is changing rapidly, so feel free to edit this as needed.

The official knowledgebase FAQ is at the following link. Read it. :wink:

https://support.smartthings.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000114006-New-SmartThings-app-FAQ

The “how to” official articles for the V3 app are at the following link:

https://support.smartthings.com/hc/en-us/categories/115000465506-SmartThings-App

There are a lot of individual official how to articles for the V2 app at the official support site, but you could start with the following link. Look for the ones marked “SmartThings classic.”

https://support.smartthings.com/hc/en-us/categories/200058800-Guide-to-SmartThings

If you aren’t sure which app you are using now, here’s the FAQ for that:

FAQ: how to tell which version of the SmartThings mobile app that you have

Community discussion thread for all the various complaints, suggestions, discussions of design philosophy, etc. that you are not going to add to this thread is at the following link:

It doesn’t matter whether you put one post per feature different or one post with multiple feature differences, whatever you like. Just remember that things are changing rapidly.

if you can’t figure out which app you should be using, ask in the community discussion thread, not this thread. Seriously, this thread is only to be a listing of differences because all the other threads become so overrun with all those other comments that it’s really hard to find just the simple list. So that’s what this FAQ is for.

You can thank me later. :sunglasses:

@WB70 @Automated_House @slagle @jody.albritton @Brad_ST @Vlad

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As of this writing Samsung smart appliances and Samsung smart televisions only work with The new V3 app, not the V2 Classic.

https://support.smartthings.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002056183-How-to-add-new-devices-in-the-SmartThings-app

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As of this writing, no custom DTHs work with the new V3 app, only the V2 Classic app. So support is telling some brand new customers who want to use devices like Keen vents that they need to also install classic in order to use those devices.

Updated 26 August 2018

Some custom DTHs will now work with the V3 app, but they may require modification. See the following discussion thread:

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The “automations” (rules engines) for the two apps are quite different. For example, there is nothing labeled “routines” in the V3 app, it’s just combined in with the other automations. The triggers and events available are also different. And as of November 2019, the rules engine in the V3 app now has a number of features which are not available in the V2 classic app.

If you are using either app and you can’t figure out how to set up a specific rule, it may be that you will need to use the other one. Ask in the community discussion thread.

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Scenes are quite different in the new V3 app and the V2 classic. The ones in V3 can include more device types and more settings and can be associated with a widget. Initially scenes created through classic did not show up in V3, but it appears that as of April 17 they do.

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Previously, you could not create a location which did not have a hub. However, with the new V3 app quite a few people may have locations without a hub, particularly people who only have appliances.

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Classic “Modes” are different than classic “smart home monitor armed states” and that created a lot of confusion.

They are still different in The new V3 app, but they have new names:

Location.mode ( The old “Mode” in classic) and
Security.mode (The old SHM armed state in classic)

The rules engine in the V3 app appears to treat these somewhat differently than classic did as well as just having name changes.

And just to make sure everyone stays confused, the V3 app also offers “secure mode” as a toggle, which has nothing to do with security.mode or location.mode. It’s a technical zigbee feature, previously called “insecure rejoin.”

V3 app FAQ for this feature:

https://support.smartthings.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002058683-Secure-Mode-in-the-SmartThings-app

The old FAQ for this feature, which would apply to those using classic even though there’s nothing in the classic app that lets you access it, you have to access it through the IDE.

https://support.smartthings.com/hc/en-us/articles/208201243-ZigBee-Insecure-Rejoin-FAQ

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Grouping lights in The new V3 app is much improved over the 2017 version of classic. In particular, it’s much easier to set up dimmers to work in sync with each other.

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quick way to tell which app you are using…

SmartThings Classic uses the following logo:
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STSC uses the following logo:
zbO2ggF6K2YVII3qOfr0Knj3P0H7OdtTjZAcGBo3kK0vJppGoYsG4TMZINqyPlLa9vI%3Dw300

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The android version of the V3 app will require that you give it permission to access your contact book. The iOS version does not require this, and classic does not require this.

This thread is not the place to argue about whether that’s a good thing or not, we are just listing the difference here. For discussion of this particular feature, see:

Originally There was no tablet version of the new V3 app , you could not even download it on a tablet. However, @Automated_House notes below that as of 20 April at least the newest iOS version can now run on a tablet.

Classic will run on a tablet.

Bixby (Samsung’s voice assistant) works with the V3 app but does not work with classic. Samsung would like you to use this a lot. The Bixby features are only available on some Samsung galaxy phones.

For help with Bixby, contact Samsung support, not SmartThings support:

The official “supported devices” list is different between V3 and classic. Most of the cloud cloud integration is added in 2019 will only work with the V3 app. Some of the older hub-based integrations will only work with classic.

The technical team has said they hope to eventually move everything over, but for now, don’t be surprised if support tells you you have to install one or the other app version in order to use a particular brand/model of a device even if it officially “works with SmartThings.”

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You can individually temporarily disable automations in the new V3 app. There is no simple way to do this in classic, although there are a lot of different workarounds.

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“Cloud Control” is an on/off toggle in the android version of the V3 app. It is not available for iOS or classic.

https://support.smartthings.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002086346-Cloud-Control-in-the-SmartThings-app

The android version of the V3 app will allow you to toggle Bluetooth off, but note that this applies to Bluetooth on your phone, not Bluetooth on your hub. The Bluetooth radio in the hub is still inactive. This toggle is not available for iOS or classic.

https://support.smartthings.com/hc/en-us/articles/115004707423-Wi-Fi-and-Bluetooth-in-the-SmartThings-app

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The V3 app offers much more Control over when notifications appear on your phone, at least for android:

Classic allows you to set up widgets for routines on your phone or the Apple watch.

The V3 app does not have routines that are distinct from automations. And does not appear to have widgets for automations. But it does have widgets for scenes as of November 2019.

As of this writing, you will need the V3 app to set up the Wi-Fi features on the “Samsung Connect Home WiFi mesh router.” Classic does not give you access to these settings.

Note that this router is sold under different names in different countries.

You must have a Samsung account to use the new V3 app. As of this writing, customers could use either a Samsung account or a smartthings account with classic, but the intention is to phase out the SmartThings accounts and move everyone over to Samsung accounts at some point in the future.