Lowe’s Launches Next Generation of Iris Smart Home Solution
Iris by Lowe’s redesigns platform and hardware to improve and broaden smart home product offering; utilizes Microsoft Azure cloud services
Today, Lowe’s announced the next generation of its Iris smart home solution, built with Microsoft Azure’s cloud technology. This latest version of Iris enhances Lowe’s smart home offering with new functionality and faster performance and includes updated software and hardware that make Iris simpler, more intuitive and more personalized. Available online at IrisbyLowes.com and in stores nationwide, the new generation of Iris provides consumers with unmatched productivity to more easily manage, monitor and maintain their homes in an open, secure environment.
Redesigned from the ground up for a more personalized, intuitive consumer experience and support the faster onboarding of a larger product ecosystem, Iris now works with more than 75 devices. By implementing a mobile-first philosophy that focuses on simplicity, speed and customization, Lowe’s has reinvigorated the smart home. The next generation Iris mobile app and hardware more seamlessly blend the digital and physical worlds, giving users an intuitive interactive way to communicate with their home and make their lives easier.
“This year’s Iris by Lowe’s Smart Home Survey revealed that more than half (57%) of Americans prefer DIY smart home solutions, and home improvement stores are the No. 1 place they are turning to for purchase,” said Mick Koster, vice president and general manager of Iris Home Systems. “As consumers increasingly become interested in home automation, Iris will continue evolving to meet the needs of each customer’s lifestyle. This next generation of Iris delivers on the promise of the smart home today – in a way that is immediately and easily accessible and affordable for consumers across America.”
Next generation Iris features and devices include:
New Iris mobile app (iOS + Android) – Users have complete control and simple navigation of every aspect of their smart home, directly in the new Iris app. Redesigned with a fresh, modern look, the app’s customizable and intuitive interface allows users to upload photos of their own family, home and connected devices to reflect their home and enable a more personalized experience. Controlling devices with a simple tap in the app, now mimics what’s actually happening in their home with new animations and experiences to better blend the digital and physical worlds.
New Smart Hub ($59.99) – Manufactured by CentraLite with a sleeker, smaller design and improved performance, the new Iris Smart Hub has a more powerful processor, additional memory, a local app engine, battery backup, and is now Bluetooth capable and continues to work with ZigBee, Z-Wave, Wi-Fi and AllJoyn enabled devices, furthering Lowe’s commitment to open standards.
Seven best-selling Iris devices, redesigned (beginning at $22.99) – Seven of the Iris by Lowe’s core devices, which existing Iris consumers have found most beneficial in the home, now have sleeker, smaller profile designs and in most cases additional features: Contact Sensor ($22.99), Smart Plug ($34.99), Motion Sensor ($29.99), Help Pendant ($29.99), Smart Button ($24.99), Smart Fob ($24.99) and Smart Keypad ($39.99).
Reconstructed DIY Starter Packs – The low priced Iris Smart Hub will now be available solely as a stand-alone option to complement simple, lower-priced Iris Starter Packs, making it even more affordable to attain a smart home and even easier to get started.
· Security Pack ($99) – This DIY pack offers peace of mind via home security, and includes two Iris Contact sensors and a Motion Sensor to track movement and opened windows/doors, and a Smart Keypad with an audible siren.
· Home Automation Pack ($129) – This DIY pack is a great way for consumers to get started with home automation and offers advanced device connection to further simplify the way things work in the home. It includes two Contact Sensors and a Motion Sensor to detect movement, and a Smart Plug and a Smart Button that offer remote control of other devices.
“By utilizing Microsoft Azure IoT technology, Lowe’s was able to realize more business value with less effort, all while dramatically improving scalability and time to market for Iris,” said Sam George, partner director of Azure Internet of Things, Microsoft. “We look forward to working with Lowe’s to continue the evolution of Iris and make customers’ homes easier to manage and smarter than ever before.”
Lowe’s was the first company to target the mass consumer market with a broad home automation solution in Iris and the first to introduce a truly open platform – allowing devices across its stores to connect with one another. Iris offers a wide variety of connected devices from well-known brands, a simple user experience, value-priced products, an easy DIY system setup, free service from the day of installation, customizable rules to connect devices and customer support provided by Lowe’s. Iris was developed and designed for the consumer, using nearly 70 years of home improvement experience and input from its 16 million shoppers a week.