Iris Home Security Systems Review

The Iris home security system, supplied by Lowe’s, was a popular choice with homeowners for some years. It offered customers lots of smart automation and security features – with the convenience of being available for purchase in the same place as all your other homeware needs. 

In March 2019, Lowes stopped supplying the Iris security system – to the consternation of thousands of customers who have invested in it over the years. If you have an Iris system installed, will you have to abandon it completely, and start from scratch? What will happen to all your data?

We’ve compiled a list of FAQs and solutions to give you peace of mind about transitioning from your Iris system.

Iris Home Security FAQs

The Iris Smart Home Platform, apps and services were permanently discontinued as of March 31^st 2019.

What was wrong with Iris?

The reason Lowe’s decided to shut down its Iris platform had nothing to do with quality or service issues. Its decision boiled down to simple economics.

With all the competition in the marketplace, and Lowe’s primary focus as a supplier of home improvement goods, the Iris home security system just didn’t gain enough traction with customers to make it a serious contender.

Can I get a redemption or refund from Iris?

Unfortunately not. The redemption period closed from March 31st, 2019. You won’t be able to return your Iris devices to Lowe’s, either. You might be able to get some kind of consolation offer from them if you’re convincing enough, but it’s certainly not guaranteed!

Is there any plan in place to transition my devices to another security platform?

You’re responsible for resetting your own devices to pair up with whichever new platform you choose. Any new service provider you use will be able to give you more information about this.

What happened to my data after the shutdown?

Lowe’s undertakes to keep your Iris data safe according to their data privacy statement.

Are all my devices useless now?

No, you’ll still be able to use your smart home hub and devices. Your system is still compatible with various brands of door locks, dimmers, smart thermostats, on/off switches, and alarm sensors.

For example, second and third generation Iris branded devices are compatible out of the box with the Hubitat Elevation and Samsung SmartThings smart home hubs. These systems can support many of Iris’s sensors, accessories, and devices.

What’s happening with the Iris smart home software?

Iris decided to open-source part of its software and named it “Arcus”. Arcus is the Roman name for the rainbow goddess that was named – in Greek – Iris.

Iris released its platform software for the benefit of smart home enthusiasts and developers.  

What does Arcus consist of?

Arcus consists of the source code for the core platform projects, and the user-facing clients like iOS, Android, and web.

Included is documentation support to help interested parties to set up Arcus in their preferred cloud solution, or locally on their user machine. None of your customer or security information will be released publically – just the code.

Where do I get Arcus?

The public source code repositories are available at github.com/arcus-smart-home.

What other home security systems are available?

Before its shutdown, Iris supplied a DIY security system that included indoor and outdoor cameras, motion sensors, keypads, panic buttons, and more. It also incorporated environmental monitoring features like smoke detectors and water heater controllers, as well as smart light switches.

There are plenty of other systems on the market for you to choose from, with the same kind of features as Iris.  You can decide between various unmonitored packages, as well as full 24/7 professional monitoring. There are also DIY options that you can install by yourself, and skip paying for a professional installer.

Here is our overview of the best home security systems available.

Conclusion

It’s worth noting for the future that any device that depends on "the cloud" can just stop working if the company is purchased or loses interest.

When the products you’ve invested in suddenly stop working, because the company is shutting down, it’s always bad news. However, if you’re an Iris customer, you have this opportunity to look at other options, and you can still use much of the equipment you’ve already installed.

Your Iris-compatible sensors, accessories, and devices can still be used with the Hubitat Elevation and Samsung SmartThing hubs. There are plenty of other customizable home security and automation systems out there to choose from, including affordable DIY options.

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