What would you switch to? (2019)

Hey all. If you were ever to leave Smartthings what would you move to? Just curious. Seems like options are pretty limited. I looked at Wink, ISY, Apple Homekit, Alexa, Hubitat and a few others. If Smartthings could figure out geofencing and all the App logout issues I wouldnt even be thinking about other options.

Are you using the new app or the Classic app?

New app. I’ve had tickets open with them for months. They just keep telling me to clear the cache on my phone and reinstall the app. LOL . I’m on iOS as well.

I do see the sign out issue with the new app on iOS from time-to-time. One of the reasons I have stayed mostly with the Classic app.

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Signout issues for me are a couple of times a day. Ive deleted and reinstalled the app at least a dozen times. Dont switch to the new app if you dont have to. Its incredibly unstable.

There are a number of threads on this. Different people come up with different answers, because they have different preferences and different reasons for not being happy here.

Every system has pluses and minuses, it’s just a matter of finding the one that works best for you.

For example, because I am dependent on home automation for much more than just convenience, I made the decision to put reliability at the top of my requirements list, specifically an MFOP (maintenance free operating period) Of at least six months and preferably 12. I needed something that was voice friendly and that had minimal set up requirements because I have to have other people do the set up.

Eventually I ended up moving all of my critical use cases to a combination of apple’s HomeKit and Amazon echo. It’s met my reliability requirements and I have been very happy with it. But I did have to give up the ability to support much more complex logic rules. Particularly stacked conditionals.

Other people really want those complex rules and are willing to put up with something that needs more hands on maintenance Than
I do. They might end up going to Insteon, or Home Assistant, or Hubitat.

Some people are happy just with the Google ecosystem, again depending on what it is they want to accomplish.

Those whose first priority is a quality security system but want some other home automation features might end up looking at Abode or Ring Alarm or LifeShield or even Xfinity Home.

And of course those who are able to spend more money will typically look at control 4. :wink:

The following is old but still largely applies except that both HomeKit and echo have added much more complex rule capability and a wider device set than they had when that was first written:

ST Alternative?

And here are some of the other threads on the topic:

https://community.smartthings.com/tags/alternative_hub

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I know that Amazon has been working hard on Smart home. I would invest more in the Alexa Smarthome side if they actually supported Z-wave. My Schlage door lock , garage door open and ceiling fan controllers are all z-wave. Also Amazon refuses to let you unlock doors or open garage doors with geofencing routines.

Try switching to the Classic App. I wouldn’t be with ST if I was forced to use the New App in its current condition.

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Totally agree. I had the classic app for the last two years but whenever I open a ticket with an issue, the first step they make me do is use the new app.

Amazon has zwave in their ring alarm system. In fact, it’s one of the most advanced zwave hubs as it includes full support for the S2 security protocol, which smartthings does not yet. :wink:

https://products.z-wavealliance.org/products/2657

And the new V3 smartthings app doesn’t allow any method for unlocking a smart lock other than opening the app and using the icon.

FAQ: Why can’t I use Geopresence or an Automation to set the alarm state in the new (V3) app? (Updated 1 November 2019–now you can!) - #16 by bgermain1689

Alexa doesnt allow you to automate the unlock of a door lock or open and close a garage door via automation. I have a feeling they all have WAY too many lawyers in the room when product managers are trying to do this stuff. It is all super basic to implement. It is getting extremely annoying how all the real value of automation keeps getting widdled away.

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There is an easy if inelegant hack for echo automations. Set up a second echo device in the same room. Then have your routine speak the unlock command to the second echo device.

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Seriously, Cartman?

Hey, nobody gets hurt. :wink: Whatever works.

Yep. I started with home automation specifically to be able to open the front door lock hands-free since I am quadriparetic. That can no longer be done with the new V3 smartthings app. :disappointed_relieved: A huge step backwards from my perspective.

I am amazed by your creativity.

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I would say “needs must,“ but to be honest I did this kind of stuff before I ever got sick. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

I’ve mentioned this before, but we had one commercial install where we had to interface two completely independent systems without touching any of the wiring. We ended up putting a model car in a box and activating it from one system where it was then detected by a motion sensor on the other. :racing_car: :rofl:

Eventually we replaced it with a more professional looking fan, but it was the same idea. Create a physical event on one system that could be recognized by the other.

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99% of my automation is purely light control. I could, and prob would, go pure Hue…and definitely be stable. The door and window monitoring is not that important to my automation in reality. Any door open could be done via motion sensors for the most part. I dont do much…because I’ve found that keeping ST as close to stock and simple as possible means its more reliable.

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Based on what I am seeing, it doesnt look to me like ST will survive in this market. New hardware is good but if it is not supported by a good and useful smart home environment, just doesnt work. Hope they clean up their act and survive because I REALLY like Samsung products but I just don’t see ST making it.

SmartThings will survive as the name and the method of linking Samsung smart televisions and appliances to some kind of automation with lighting. I don’t see any sign of that going away.

Smartthings staff have said many times in this forum that their typical customer has 15 or fewer devices and never uses any custom code.

For that group, the app has gotten better and better over the last year with more integrations, A better rules wizard, and a nicer look.

Whether it can survive as an option for power users is an entirely different question, of course.

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