Apps
Samsung SmartThings 1.8.21.28 Update Arrived: Home Insights, Routines, Quick Remote, and more
Samsung has pushed a major update for the SmartThings app with version 1.8.21.28. This update is now available for download on the Galaxy Store and Play Store for Galaxy devices.
The fresh update of several new features to improve how users manage their smart homes, including Home Insights, Daily Routines, Quick Remote, Automatic Hub Backup, and more.
What’s New in Samsung SmartThings 1.8.21.28
One of the main features of the latest SmartThings update is Home Insights. When you open the app, you’ll see a dashboard that shows important information about your smart home at a glance. It includes notifications, smart home suggestions, and AI-generated summaries.
Currently, the AI-powered summaries are only available in South Korea and the USA. You can also view key details like energy use and indoor air quality through the Home Insights Dashboard. A widget for this feature is available on some devices including Galaxy Tab S10.
In addition to the Home Insights, the update adds Routine features. You can now organize your routines into different categories to make it easier to manage them. With the new Daily Routines option, you can set multiple time conditions for a single routine.
Moreover, the new Quick Control feature lets you quickly manage a 2024 Samsung appliance when you are near it. A control panel will pop up on your Galaxy device for easy access.
If you have several SmartThings Hubs, the app can automatically set one as the primary hub and the other as a backup.
Samsung has also made it easier to control devices. The app now shows larger control cards, so you can access more controls without needing to tap on each device. This change applies to devices like air conditioners and refrigerators.
Overall, this update makes using SmartThings simpler and more efficient. If you have received the update, download it now via Galaxy Store >> Menu option >> Updates
Google Messages app is likely to allow you to customize contact photos again to make your messaging experience more personal. This change comes after the introduction of the Profile Discovery feature.
The Profile Discovery feature shows your name and Google account photo to people who add you using your phone number. However, this feature frustrated several users as it forced all contacts to show the same Google account photo, ignoring individual choices.
Fortunately, an APK teardown of the Google Messages app reveals that Google is actively working on a solution, thanks to Assemble Debug via Android Authority.
Google Messages version android_20241018_01_RC00 shows that users will soon be able to choose between a contact’s Google account photo and a picture saved on their device.
To switch between images, you’ll just need to tap on a contact’s profile picture and swipe left or right. You can also change the image by going into the Contacts app to make it easy to personalize your contacts.
This update is mainly useful for contacts who don’t have a Google account picture as it will allow you to add your own preferred image for them.
Aside from this, Google has also added new privacy settings to help users control who can see their profile details. Currently, the feature is under beta testing and will soon be available for all users.
Google Messages to offer new privacy settings for profile discovery feature
Samsung Health app for Wear OS devices is getting a new update with v6.28 (6.28.0.047), available via the Galaxy Store. This update makes Wear OS devices compatible with the new features Samsung recently announced, including health records, advanced medication management, and more.
The Korean tech giant recently released the Samsung Health v6.28 update for One UI devices, and it is now expanding to Wear OS Galaxy watches. It is important to install Installing the update to enjoy all the new features.
Samsung Health v6.28 update brings the ability to access health records directly from Galaxy devices. Users in the US can now view their medical reports as Samsung collabs with major electronic medical record (EMR) systems, including b.well Connected Health, Athenahealth, Cerner Health, Epic Systems, and Veradigm.
The update also brings an advanced Medications feature to India and South Korea. This feature allows users to take pictures of their medications using their camera. It makes it simpler to record dosages and keep track of side effects.
In addition, it adds a barcode scanning feature that lets users quickly log their daily food intake by scanning barcodes on food packages. While this feature is currently available only in select countries, it is expected to expand soon.
For Samsung Galaxy Watch users, it’s important to install this update to get support of all the new features and enhance their health management experience. To install connect your watch to your smartphone and visit Galaxy Store >> Menu option >> Updates, or download it directly from the third-party link mentioned here.
Samsung Health 6.28 update rolling out new tools for better health management
WhatsApp has released a new beta update for Android, which brings an option named Reminders for status updates. The fresh beta update arrives with version 2.24.22.21, available through the Google Play Beta Program.
The new reminder notification feature helps users keep track of status updates they may have missed. If you don’t regularly check your contacts’ status, the Reminders option will make sure you don’t miss important posts.
With the Reminders feature on WhatsApp, users will receive notifications about new status updates, especially from contacts they interact with frequently or have marked as favorites. This is mainly useful for those with many contacts as it can help to easily check updates that disappear after 24 hours.
The option is turned off by default on WhatsApp, so you need to turn it on if you want to receive notifications for status updates from your favorite contacts.
To activate it, check the Reminders option in your notification settings and turn it on if you find it useful. WhatsApp has chosen not to let users change how often they get these reminders, as the app will automatically prioritize updates from your frequently interacted contacts.
This reminder notification feature is currently available to some beta testers and will be rolled out to more WhatsApp users in the coming days.