A user controls a Samsung Electronics washing machine using the SmartThings app. (Samsung Electronics)
A user controls a Samsung Electronics washing machine using the SmartThings app. (Samsung Electronics)

Samsung Electronics announced Monday that the number of SmartThings users in South Korea surpassed 20 million this week, driven by rapid growth in sales of AI-powered home appliances and ongoing upgrades to the SmartThings app.

SmartThings, Samsung’s internet of things platform, allows users to control home appliances and devices via their smartphones, offering personalized notifications and advanced automation features to streamline daily routines.

Samsung explained that the vast majority of AI appliances sold this year were connected to SmartThings. According to the company, 92 percent of purchasers of the Bespoke AI Steam robot vacuum cleaner, released in April, and 80 percent of the buyers of the Bespoke AI Combo all-in-one washer-dryer, released in February, connected their appliances to the SmartThings platform.

“As the adoption of AI appliances increases, more customers are actively using SmartThings with a variety of usage patterns. We will continue to introduce new SmartThings features to create a more convenient daily life,” a Samsung official said.

The most commonly used features of SmartThings include Home Care, which assists with remote troubleshooting and device management, and Energy Saving, which monitors and manages the power consumption of the connected devices. With the increasing number of pet-owning households in Korea, Pet Care has also become another popular feature, allowing users to track their pets’ locations and remotely control appliances based on their pets' needs.

Upgraded features in SmartThings app also experienced a significant increase in usage. They include direct after-sales service requests through the app when malfunctions are detected, and converting saved energy into membership points. One popular new feature generates graphs showing data about a pet's daily life.

The company said the usage of these features rose by approximately 72 percent, 71 percent and 79 percent, respectively, from January to mid-December.

The automation feature is also gaining popularity. It allows users to preset daily routines for devices, such as turning on lights and activating air purifiers when they arrive home, Samsung explained.

The SmartThings ecosystem supports both Samsung products and those from partner companies. In Korea, there are more than 1,000 users who have each connected over 100 devices to the SmartThings platform, including products from Samsung and 300 partner companies, Samsung said

The tech giant has been expanding SmartThings in the past decade since acquiring the then-US-based IoT platform in 2014.