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Samsung has decided to integrate Kohler's luxury smart showers Anthem into its SmartThings ecosystem. This innovation will allow users to have complete control over the shower, including the ability to adjust the temperature, set timers, and manage preset configurations. Additionally, water usage can be monitored through devices compatible with SmartThings.
The Anthem smart showers can be operated via physical controllers installed inside the shower or through the Kohler Konnect app on smartphones. They are also compatible with existing integrations with assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Home. This new collaboration will expand the remote control options for Anthem installations through the SmartThings app, accessible on Samsung smart TVs, hubs, and mobile devices. Furthermore, the integration of these showers into automated routines will be enabled.
However, the high cost of the Anthem showers may be a limitation for many, as the base price is in the thousands of dollars just for the hardware, not including installation, plumbing, electrical work, or tiling. For example, the Anthem Plus shower control system, showcased at CES 2024, is priced at $2,800. This reduces the likelihood of playing pranks on housemates, like changing the shower temperature from another room while they are using it.
To promote greater awareness of water consumption, monitoring data obtained from Kohler's smart showers will be integrated into a new water layer added to the SmartThings Map View. This feature will provide a 3D representation of the locations of smart devices in the home. The new water layer, set to be launched in early 2025, aims to make consumers more conscious of their resource use at home. Mark Benson, head of Samsung SmartThings in the U.S., expressed excitement about expanding this relationship with Kohler, emphasizing that water management and sustainability align with global goals to improve the environment.
The Anthem smart showers will be the first devices compatible with this new feature of SmartThings Map View, although it's expected that other smart devices related to water will also contribute information to this layer, providing consumers with more tools to be responsible with their water consumption.