Smart home’s growing pains will pass: Lowe’s VP

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — “Smart home” technology currently consists of a cacophony of apps and gadgets, but the general manager of Lowe’s smart home division sees a more integrated solution at the end of the tunnel. In an interview with Re/code, Kevin Meagher of Lowe’s Iris says that in the near future homeowners will be able to harmonize devices working on different platforms, while avoiding proprietary “walled gardens.” Meagher says that “no consumer wants to walk up to their house and open up one app to control their door lock, another to control the thermostat, another to control the lighting — that’s just crazy.” While the temptation is for manufacturers to bundle their products more closely, Meagher says this puts off customers who want a system that works with the hardware they already own. Describing safety as an “overlooked” area, Meagher added that building on existing technologies, smart home systems will be able to keep homeowners in the loop about their children and elderly parents.