The smart home industry is growing rapidly as homeowners look for easier ways to monitor and manage temperature, security and energy use. Technology companies are racing to provide convenient systems that let users control these features from anywhere, and now a major national retailer is joining the market: Lowe’s, the world’s second-largest home improvement retailer. Known for tools, hardware and home goods, Lowe’s is expanding into home technology with a new smart home system called Iris.
Lowe’s describes Iris as an affordable, cloud-based home management platform that allows homeowners to interact with and control their residence using a smartphone or computer. Initially marketed through Lowe’s stores and Lowes.com, Iris aims to make smart home capabilities accessible to a broader audience.
“Because of Lowe’s partnerships with manufacturers, utilities and service providers, Lowe’s has the ability to offer a simple, intuitive home management solution at a great value,” said Greg Bridgeford, Lowe’s executive vice president of business development. “Through Iris, Lowe’s is working to connect the broadest range of products in the industry and deliver the benefits of a smart home solution that were previously only available to affluent consumers.”
Iris brings together a portfolio of connected devices so customers can remotely monitor and manage their homes from virtually any mobile device. The service supports control of thermostats, door locks, lighting, and appliances, and it provides monitoring and protection through video cameras as well as door, motion and fire sensors. Designed to be simple and scalable, Iris targets price points and feature sets that appeal to the mass market rather than just early adopters.
The web and mobile interfaces are designed to be clean and intuitive. Dashboards give users centralized control over any integrated system, from climate settings to security alerts. For many homeowners, the security features are especially valuable: Iris offers modes—such as a vacation setting—that automate lighting and device schedules, reducing the worry about leaving the house empty or needing to manually set timers before trips.
With Iris, homeowners can tailor automation and monitoring to their needs—reducing energy use with smarter thermostat schedules, improving home security with real-time alerts and video, and simplifying everyday tasks like turning lights on or off remotely. By offering a broad device ecosystem and cloud-based management, Lowe’s aims to make smart home technology practical, affordable and easy to adopt.
Are you ready to get connected and take the smart home plunge?