Smart homes: free apps to control appliances from your phone and save on your electricity bill.

The promise of a smart home , where lights, appliances, sensors, and devices are managed from a mobile phone screen, is now a reality. Integrating the entire home, connected to the internet and managed from mobile apps, not only simplifies routines but also saves energy, creates personalized environments, and enhances entertainment .

Smartphones, essential to everyday life, now also function as a digital command center capable of performing all kinds of tasks: turning on lights, starting a wash cycle, turning on the television, or adjusting the refrigerator temperature.

But the experience doesn't depend on a single manufacturer: more and more platforms— from Samsung to Google, Apple, Amazon, and open source projects —are competing to become the "brain" that organizes everyday life behind closed doors. All of them through increasingly intuitive interfaces and with the possibility of adding layers of automation that simplify daily habits.

The Korean brand is one of the most active players in this field. Its SmartThings app integrates more than 5,000 devices from different brands and centralizes control of a connected home.

In Argentina, for example, the company already offers locally produced appliances in Tierra del Fuego with Wi-Fi connectivity, such as the Bespoke AI line of refrigerators and washing machines , as well as air conditioners, televisions, and even robotic vacuum cleaners.

In the case of refrigerators, the latest line incorporates features such as AI Energy mode , which helps save up to 10% of energy, and systems that keep food fresher for longer.

The washing machine, for its part, automatically adjusts water and wash times thanks to sensors and artificial intelligence algorithms. All of this is managed from the phone: from changing the freezer temperature to scheduling a nighttime wash cycle to reduce electricity costs.

In addition to the Korean brand's major appliances, SmartThings opens the door to devices from other manufacturers that integrate into its technological ecosystem.

These include 360° security cameras, motion sensors, and Philips Hue smart lighting. Lightstrip Plus lights illuminate hallways or staircases with adaptive lighting, while Play Gradient lights project the colors that appear on your TV screen, transforming a simple movie into an immersive entertainment experience.

You can even set up various routines for all of these options: setting the house to light up when the first person arrives, turning on the vacuum cleaner at a certain time or before you return from work, and even setting the TV to automatically turn on to watch a football match.

Beyond interoperability, the other key focus is energy efficiency. Apps like SmartThings allow you to monitor consumption, generate reports, and optimize energy use. In a context of rising energy rates, this aspect is becoming increasingly important .

For users who already use Google Assistant, integration with the Google Home app is one of the most natural. The Google ecosystem not only allows you to control compatible devices from brands like Philips, TP-Link, and Nest, but also sync custom routines .

With a simple voice command — “Ok Google, I’m home” — you can turn on lights, play music on Nest speakers, or activate the air conditioning. The main advantage is usability: the app is intuitive , works on any Android or iPhone, and voice control turns your smartphone or smart speaker into the hub of your automation.

The downside is that, as a cloud-based system, it relies on the internet to perform many actions, unlike other options that can work offline.

For those within the Apple universe, the recommended option is HomeKit. The system works seamlessly with the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, and has the Home app as its control center.

Since privacy is one of Apple's core principles, all automation and data go through its own security framework , making it an attractive environment for users who are more sensitive about their personal information.

HomeKit doesn't always offer universal compatibility, but smart lights, sensors, and locks can be connected through bridges like Philips Hue or Aqara. Furthermore, the arrival of the Matter standard, which seeks to unify the industry, promises to expand HomeKit compatibility with third-party devices in the coming years.

The other big player is Amazon Alexa, which also integrates seamlessly with SmartThings and thousands of third-party devices. Echo speakers act as a command center or "hub" and allow you to control lights, appliances , and sensors by voice.

In Argentina, Alexa is already enjoying increasing penetration, especially in homes that have adopted Echo Dot or Echo Show speakers to play music, manage reminders, and automate simple routines.

The key to this ecosystem is its simplicity of setup and the huge number of compatible devices, although, like Google, it relies on the cloud to perform most tasks.

Beyond the major manufacturers, there are alternatives from various developers based on open source, meaning the software is available for anyone to modify and distribute. These features undoubtedly offer greater customization and local control .

For example, Home Assistant is one of the most popular. It allows you to integrate more than 1,500 devices and services, from lights to cameras, and works without relying on the cloud, ensuring greater privacy. However, it does require more technical knowledge to configure.

Another open source project, OpenHAB , offers robustness and scalability with an active community constantly developing new integrations . Among the devices it can operate are those from iRoobot (vacuum cleaners), Roku, LG, and Epson.

These platforms are chosen by those who want a more flexible smart home with less dependence on large corporations.

The choice of each of these platforms will obviously depend on the user. While Samsung offers an integrated experience with its home appliances, Google and Amazon focus on the simplicity of voice control. Apple, meanwhile, reinforces the privacy of its ecosystem, and open-source systems offer complete freedom to those who want to experiment.