Connected home capabilities expanding at Lowe’s

Lowe’s has a new partner in its pursuit of the connected home market and the lofty goal of making customers’ homes and lives smarter.

The nation’s second largest home improvement retailer will sellnew smart home devices in 2015 certified by Icontrol Networks, the company behind the most widely used connected home platform in the industry.

"Lowe's is committed to providing customers with truly open smart home platforms," said Jay Rebello, vice president of new business development and corporate innovation for Lowe's. "Icontrol helps expand the number of easy-to-install, compatible products available to consumers, allowing users to easily find smart home solutions that fit their lifestyles and make their lives easier."

Lowe’s says it wants to offer more choices for customers who want to make their homes and lives smarter. Lowe's will also help customers determine product capability by featuring the OpenHome brand mark both online and in stores. An in-aisle electronic display will help customers sort products by OpenHome device compatibility and the service providers they use. Consumers can also use the co-branded OpenHome website to do research from the comfort of their own homes.

"Whether people are shopping online or in-stores, they can be assured that OpenHome products offer easy set-up and the compatibility needed to build customized smart homes," said Bob Hagerty, CEO of Icontrol Networks. "By offering consumers access to these items through the convenience and ease of Lowe's stores nationwide, together we're making the vision of the smart home a reality."

Launched in 2013, the OpenHome Developer Program is the first open ecosystem built to encourage compatibility among devices. More than 100 devices and applications are already certified including Nest, Philips Hue, LG Smart Bulbs, the Logitech Harmony Remote and many others.

Icontrol currently manages more than 26 million sensors and devices as the software behind leading service provider and security company smart home offerings.