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Retail competitors Lowe’s and Amazon are joining forces to make their technology work together in smart homes.
The incompatibility of different brands of devices has hindered the smart home market, but Amazon and Lowe’s are integrating their products so their brands can work together in users’ houses.
Lowe’s launched Iris, a customizable smart home system, in 2012. A few years later, Amazon introduced Amazon Echo, which is a hands-free, voice-activated speaker that responds to the name Alexa.
Echo uses Alexa Voice Service to “to play music, provide information, news, sports scores, weather, and more—instantly. All you have to do is ask,” according to Amazon.
How Lowe’s and Amazon Are Linking
The next generation of Iris products will be controllable through Amazon Alexa products, including the Amazon Echo and other Alexa-enabled devices, Lowe’s says.
Users who have Iris and an Amazon Alexa-enabled device “can turn on and dim lights, toggle a smart plug on/off, adjust thermostats and more with hands-free convenience through voice controls,” according to the Lowe’s website.
Through the Iris-Optimized Smart Home Skills for Alexa, users can control their home with their voices. And now, homeowners with both systems can use Amazon Alexa devices to deliver these 20 basic Iris commands.
