With the advent of Edge Drivers approaching, will it be possible for edge drivers to be implemented for LAN devices like Kasa smart switches or Meross switches/plugs? These devices support local LAN control using their own apps, and the Meross ones apparently can do local Homekit control. It seems like the technology is there, but there is just some licensing/permissions/software missing?
Really depends on whether A particular model has published their API or not.
To be honest, for use cases like this I would just wait a few months and see if the brand offers Matter support, because that’s likely to be local and then it will just work once smartthings has implemented its matter support.
The brands which already support HomeKit will probably be among the first to support matter because they can use essentially the same architecture. But we will have to wait and see.
3 Likes
Oh interesting! So matter can help tie in this type of local LAN control? That would be wonderful. My understanding was that it would just help devices have a “common language” so that they can actually be controlled more centrally. Since TP-link has shown some interest in matter, I’m somewhat optimistic for this.
Thank you for the great help, as always 
1 Like
As of now the SmartThings mobile app only communicates with the smartthings cloud. So even if those devices were added with edge drivers, the commands from the mobile app would need to go through the cloud.
1 Like
Sorry, I missed the note in the topic title about app control. My bad.
You are of course right that Edge Drivers (regardless of device protocol) don’t change the fact that the ST app will require the cloud.
Yeah I was actually partly hoping for local control through the app as well. Isn’t that how Homekit stuff works? As I understand, you can use homekit without an always-on hub device and still have local control at home, you just lose the ability to check/control your devices when not at home. Does the homekit app not communicate directly with devices when you’re running without a hub?
Anyway, overall I think it’s true that we should just wait and see. I like the sound of a possibility that Matter might make this a possibility. And in the end, the likelihood of an internet outage without an accompanied power outage is low, at least for me.
HomeKit runs locally, including the app. The only thing you need the cloud for is Siri, although you can still get some local voice navigation of the app.
SmartThings has designed their app to be cloud based. They didn’t have to technically, but that’s what they chose to do. Here’s the official architecture drawing for the new platform. See the app in the top right?
We’ll just have to see if market demand changes that in the future.
Dang, yeah, that’s a bummer. I knew the app was all cloud-based, but I was wondering, when Edge Drivers make WiFi devices local, if the app would be able to communicate with the hub locally and tell it to issue commands (locally). Anyway, enough theorizing/wishing, let’s just wait and see
1 Like
It could somewhat change in the future for Galaxy devices. I believe Samsung has said that Galaxy phones will be Matter controllers. So I assume that means they will have LAN control of Matter device without any other kind of SmartThings hub device.
2 Likes
For WiFi devices. But they aren’t adding Thread, are they? So there would have to be a Thread Border Router somewhere in the home to connect to Thread devices, although that might just be an Echo or Google Home smart speaker. 
correct. Assuming SmartThings doesn’t make the V3/Aeotec hub a Thread border router, you would need a separate border router.
1 Like
Ooh as a galazy phone user, I like THAT!