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Samsung Will Start Charging For SmartThings API Access
Engadget • • technology
Key Points:
- Samsung will begin charging $5 per month starting in October for "non-commercial individual developers" accessing its SmartThings API, impacting software developers and commercial partners.
- Traditional users controlling devices via the official SmartThings app will not be affected, but those using third-party tools like Home Assistant may face new subscription fees.
- The change could negatively impact the open-source smart home community, with criticism from Home Assistant founder Paulus Schoutsen regarding added costs and cloud paywalls.
- Samsung states the fees will fund enterprise-grade features and improvements, including a new Developer Center hub for better usage insights, but has not provided specific details on new capabilities.
- Access to the SmartThings API remains free until October, giving developers time to adjust to the upcoming pricing changes.
