IoT News of the Week: Philips Hue Security Expansion, Kasa’s New Matter Gear, and Microsoft Drops Cortana

The intersection of the Internet of Things, smart home automation, and industrial technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace. From major brand shifts and hardware expansions to growing privacy concerns within the insurance sector, this week’s developments highlight an industry in transition. Companies are looking beyond traditional hardware sales toward subscription models, artificial intelligence is reshaping predictive maintenance, and novel materials are opening up new avenues for energy harvesting.

Philips Hue Pivots Toward Home Security and Subscription Models

Signs are pointing firmly toward Philips Hue making a major play in the home security market. During a recent earnings call, the president of Signify, the parent company owning the Philips Hue brand, revealed that the organization was actively developing a dedicated security camera. Subsequent industry reports have elaborated on these plans, indicating that Signify is preparing to launch a lineup of four different cameras alongside complementary contact sensors.

For long-time users of the ecosystem, this strategic shift feels like a natural evolution. Having established a dominant presence in the smart lighting space over the past decade, the brand has watched competitors progressively commoditize basic connected bulbs. While consumer brand recognition remains remarkably high, there is a natural ceiling to how many people are willing to pay a premium for light bulbs, particularly when high-quality LED products can last for a decade or more without replacement.

This hardware longevity creates a distinct growth challenge for lighting manufacturers, making security a logical next step. More importantly, the security sector offers the alluring prospect of recurring subscription revenue. Video storage, cloud archiving, and professional monitoring services have become the primary ways companies secure ongoing income from the smart home ecosystem, and Philips Hue appears poised to capitalize on this financial model.

TP-Link Expands Matter Portfolio with New Kasa Switches

Interoperability continues to advance as TP-Link broadens its hardware ecosystem with additional Matter-compatible devices. Over the past few months, the company has heavily promoted Matter-enabled smart plugs and switches under its budget-friendly Tapo brand. Now, the manufacturer is bringing similar compatibility to its more established Kasa product line with two new light switches.

The newly introduced Kasa KS205 Smart Wi-Fi Light Switch and the Kasa KS225 Smart Wi-Fi Light Dimmer Switch are slated to retail at $27.99 and $29.99, respectively. Both devices require a neutral wire for installation and will offer standard smart home conveniences, including customizable scheduling and a dedicated away mode to simulate occupancy. By expanding Matter support across multiple product tiers, TP-Link is giving consumers more affordable ways to integrate diverse smart home setups without being locked into a single proprietary ecosystem.

Microsoft Officially Retires Cortana Across Windows Platforms

A decade after its initial launch, Microsoft is officially pulling the plug on Cortana. Introduced in 2014 as a direct rival to Apple’s Siri, Cortana was an ambitious voice assistant that ultimately struggled to gain significant ground due to a lack of a dominant mobile platform. While the underlying technology was well-received by critics, Microsoft eventually scaled back its consumer-facing aspirations, gradually phasing out standalone consumer products while leaving the assistant enabled on Windows.

That era has now come to a definitive end. Following a recent system update to Windows 11, the Cortana application is officially non-functional on the platform, and the company has confirmed that support will soon cease entirely on Windows 10 as well. This widespread decommissioning opens the door for newer, AI-driven assistants to take center stage within the Windows operating system.

Tractian Secures $45 Million to Scale AI-Driven Industrial Monitoring

In the industrial sector, predictive maintenance remains a powerful draw for both enterprise buyers and venture capital investors. By rebranding traditional anomaly detection under the broader umbrella of artificial intelligence, companies are finding unprecedented enthusiasm in the market. A prime example is Atlanta-based Tractian, which has successfully raised $45 million in new funding, bringing its total capital raised to more than $60 million since its founding in 2019.

Tractian develops both proprietary software and specialized hardware sensors designed to track the mechanical health of heavy machinery in industrial environments. The newly acquired capital will be directed toward expanding the company’s sales operations and fueling further research and development. With a client base already exceeding 500 customers, the firm is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for automated industrial oversight and equipment reliability.

The Growing Privacy Backlash Over Insure-Tech and Connected Home Monitoring

As property insurance companies face mounting financial pressures from escalating replacement costs, rising housing prices, and an increasing frequency of climate-related disasters, the industry is increasingly turning to technology to mitigate risk. Insurers are pulling out of high-risk markets entirely and aggressively pruning their existing customer rolls, utilizing advanced connected technology to justify policy non-renewals.

In California, this trend has manifested through the use of aerial drones. Insurance companies have deployed drones to fly over residential neighborhoods, scanning policyholders’ roofs and yards to identify potential liabilities. Customers identified as exhibiting riskier behaviors or deferred property maintenance are facing sudden policy cancellations.

In one notable instance, a homeowner had their policy canceled over a roof that appeared worn, though they successfully reinstated coverage after providing maintenance receipts. In another case, a policyholder was dropped simply because they had drained their swimming pool. While insurers are legally permitted to use drone imagery to evaluate claims and property conditions, these incidents point to a broader, more alarming trend. As connected devices and smart home technologies become deeply embedded in residential properties, they risk evolving into automated levers that insurance firms can pull to discard consumers as regional risk profiles rise.

Novel Graphene Foam Enables Kinetic Energy Harvesting

Innovative material science continues to unlock new methods for powering Internet of Things infrastructure without relying on batteries or traditional wiring. Researchers in Scotland have recently showcased a specialized form of graphene foam engineered specifically for use in energy-harvesting floor sensors.

When an individual steps onto the foam material, the pressure generates approximately 10 watts of electricity, which is more than enough to power the embedded sensor instantly. Once energized, the sensor can execute software algorithms capable of identifying who is in a room and determining their directional movement based on an analysis of their specific footsteps. While various industries have experimented with capturing human kinetic energy for years, the development of efficient nanogenerators like graphene foam represents a promising step forward for self-sustaining smart environments.

SaaviHome Franchises Its Smart Home Integration Model

As the consumer smart home market matures, professional installation and integration services are expanding their business models. Ahead of the upcoming CEDIA professional installers trade show, SaaviHome has announced a nationwide call for franchise owners to join its network and help consumers set up and manage their residential tech ecosystems.

Originally founded in 2004 as a traditional integration firm, SaaviHome spent years developing the proprietary software and operational services required to scale its business model, which it began franchising in 2020. Utilizing Control4 as its primary integration software platform, the company is actively seeking prospective franchisees in the Mountain West region, focusing particularly on growth markets across Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and Arizona as professional smart home deployment continues to see steady demand.