SmartThings channels The Sims with Map View feature for smart device control

One new feature that SmartThings is getting is called Map View, which will allow you to build a custom layout of your house in the app, almost like how you can build homes and decorate them in the popular simulation game The Sims. Maps View is a proper playground – you can add floors, rooms, walls, furniture, and more to create a layout that best represents your home, place devices where they belong, and then control all those devices.

We got to play with Map View a bit at the Samsung Developer Conference in San Francisco, and you should watch the two videos below for a nice little demo of how it works. Map View may seem like a lot of work, sure, but we think it's quite neat considering all the customization options that are included and will be particularly useful on a device with a large screen, like a tablet or foldable.

Samsung tells us Map View will be coming to SmartThings by the end of October. A specific release date wasn't mentioned, but we're assuming the rollout of the feature will take place over a few weeks and its availability will slowly expand to more and more markets.