This development will affect users of Home Assistant and similar third-party applications.
Samsung has announced its decision to implement a fee for access to its SmartThings API, which is part of its smart home automation services. While the primary impact will be on software developers and commercial collaborators, ordinary users could also feel the financial effects.
Beginning in October, a monthly fee of $5 will be introduced for “non-commercial individual developers.” This change will not affect individuals using the standard SmartThings app to manage the numerous devices compatible with the platform. However, it will apply to users of third-party applications, such as Home Assistant, that allow control over Samsung devices.
Additionally, those who have tailored smart home solutions will likely be affected, leading to yet another recurring subscription expense. This move appears to be a significant setback for the open-source smart home community.
Home Assistant founder Paulus Schoutsen expressed disappointment in a blog post, stating, “While we support consumer choice, we are disheartened that users will have to consider paying for access amidst yet another cloud paywall.”
So, what do users gain from this new fee structure? The specifics remain unclear. Samsung claims the revenue will be used to “significantly invest in the enterprise-grade features requested by our partners and users.” However, no detailed information has been provided, aside from plans for new integrations and enhanced capabilities. A new Developer Center is expected to launch soon, which will offer “current usage and data points for code optimization.”
This fee implementation starts in October, although access to the SmartThings API will remain complimentary for now.
