What’s in a name? SmartThings and SmartThings Classic

Let’s make an effort to call the two apps as the following- SmartThings and SmartThings Classic.

I, for one, am tired of all the different names constantly being used on the forum - new app, STSC, SmartThings (Samsung Connect). Yes, I am equally guilty but I must confess I am tired of typing SmartThings (Samsung Connect) all the time. Support refers to the new app as the SmartThings app and the older app as SmartThings Classic. They Are also listed by those names in the app stores.

So I call on everyone to start using SmartThings and SmartThings Classic as the only app names we refer to.

Who is with me? :slight_smile:

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I like the idea, but the problem is that this forum has a ton of information that was created before the new app was released in the spring of 2018. Including FAQs that can no longer be updated because they have aged out.

Those posts will all have references to the “smartthings mobile app” that are really referring to classic.

So I think we have to give the 2018 app a new name because of the function of this forum as an archive.

I don’t care what we call it. We could call it “the SmartThings app (2018)” or “the V2 SmartThings app” or “the current app” or “Fred.” :wink: About the only thing we can’t call it without confusing people is “The smartthings mobile app” because of the old posts issue.

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I would also be OK with calling it “the V3 app“ because it came out with the V3 hub and you can’t set up a V3 hub without it.

Which would make classic the V2 app, and the old old app (which did have a very different look) the V1 app. :sunglasses: but call the V2 app “classic“ since that’s what the support literature calls it.

2015: V2 Hub, new app

Here’s what things looked like when the V2 hub came out in 2015 and they called what is now Classic “the new app.”

The big changes were the additions of rooms, smart home monitor and the official smart lighting feature, but the whole look of the app changed as well.

Pre-2015: V1 hub, “Hello, Home” UI

And anybody else remember what the 2014 V1 app looked like? (Hello, Home!)


image

So I think V3 is legit for STSC. :sunglasses:

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Why not OLD ST app (v1), “THE” ST app (v2) and NEW ST app (v3) … :smile:

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Or Larry, Moe, and Curly? :wink:

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:rofl::rofl: @JDRoberts is on a roll today! I refer to “New App” and the “Classic App”. Probably won’t change those references but I totally understand @jkp the issue(s).

Personally, I say }%{{%}^}^}^ the “New App” it sux! No it sux }%}^}%}}^}{!!! :rofl::rofl::rofl:

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I just realized there are a whole bunch of posts in the forum about the “new app“ which are referring to the V2 app. The one which is now called “classic.”

So you know how I am about model numbers :wink:: I’m now thinking “V1 app”, “V2 app” (now called Classic), and “V3 app” solves the archives problem, both now and for the future when they come out with yet another “new app.” Plus it’s easy to both say and type.

And to explain: the V1 was the original app. The V2 app came out in 2015 when the V2 hub came out. The V3 app came out in 2018 when the V3 hub came out. You have to have the V3 app to set up the V3 hub, but after that you can use the V2 app if you want. Support has said the V2 app will be going away eventually, but they haven’t said when.

SmartThings support used to call the V2 app “the new app,“ but now they call the V2 app the “classic app“ and call the “V3 app“ just “the SmartThings app”. ( OK, maybe that part isn’t as easy to explain. But it’s easier to explain than smart home monitor. :rofl:)

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I am just waiting for the V8 app

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I have a name suggestion for the latest app but it’s not helpful :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:.

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There are only 2 currently available SmartThings Apps.

In order to be completely unambiguous (and backwards compatible), references to either App should always contain a modifier.

Therefore:

  • SmartThings Classic App
  • New SmartThings App

I do not care where the modifiers “Classic” and “New” appear in the labels.

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OK, I updated the community FAQ for the V2 and V3 app names, but left open the possibility that it will change again. :sunglasses:

It would have been nice if SmartThings had listed the new app in the App Store as v3 instead of v1 (1.7 for android and 1.6 for iOS). Hint hint @Brad_ST to get it adjusted. :wink:

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I suspect that part of the issue is that this is the “one app to rule them all” which brought together many different Samsung apps, not just smartthings. That includes Samsung connect, the one that was used for cars, The one that was used for smart televisions, the one that was used for smart appliances, etc. So it was version one of the consolidated app, and version who knows what for each of the individual ones. :sunglasses:

Okay I can’t resist playing along. Hard to believe I have been playing with ST for 5 years now starting with the original V1 app in 2014.

Anyone remember when people had to design custom round logos for their things because the original app just had a picture icon and once you had more than a handful of things you couldn’t figure out what you were clicking on? And I remember having more icons than would fit on the screen.

Walking down memory lane here to put the V3 New app into some perspective. It is miles ahead of where we began. I get that it should be even better given the speed of tech but it isn’t total crap either (it was upon first launch). The new look since the April update makes it reasonably usable. It is hilarious how they almost exactly modeled it after Apple HomeKit look and feel. My only complaint about it is I still can’t get my robot vacuum to move from my default Home to my other location where all my other stuff is. I tried 10 times and it keeps defaulting to Home.

As for naming I lean toward both brevity and clarity so I like a blend of JD’s and Terry’s versions. V2 Classic and V3 New. I simply can’t wrap my head around calling the V3 New app V1 even though I understand the reasons Samsung calls it that in the App Store.

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Speaking of the V1 app: remember when you had to physically shake the phone in order to see the text labels for those thing pictures? :scream:

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ROFLMAO !!! That acronym is as old as the shake phone memory!

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As I understand things, In the new ST ecosystem apps are developed in more standard languages like Node.js and publishing to others is not so easy (may not be supported at all). So, as a mobile app I do think it is reasonable. Whether their new ecosystem for supporting DIY enthusiasts like us is reasonable is a whole different matter. And of course I don’t think it is.

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That’s the intention, but the new ecosystem doesn’t even have any way to work with the zigbee and zwave devices yet, so it’s all pretty theoretical. I think it has to be judged on what it does today.

There’s a topic in the forum where people have put things that they like about the V3 app.

Meanwhile and I know I am as guilty as anyone on this account, let’s try to keep this thread on topic for discussions of what to call the two currently available apps.

If you want to discuss features of either of the apps, use the following thread instead:

"SmartThings Classic" vs "SmartThings (Samsung Connect)"

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I don’t think the appellative is entirely deserved. It has some UI merits, for one, it flows well with One UI and also is much better organized than v2. Unfortunately, it seems that it matures like wine. At this development pace, it will be very good in about 10 years. :slight_smile:

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For those who missed it, the name of the new V3 app is now officially back to being just “SmartThings.“ Not “SmartThings (Samsung Connect).”

So I think continuing to call it V3 in the forums is a good idea. Particularly since someday it will not be “the new app.” :wink:

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