U by Moen Shower System Gains Apple HomeKit and Amazon Alexa Support

Moen has announced that its bring Amazon Alexa and Apple HomeKit support to its U by Moen shower system.

With a new second-generation shower controller, users can easily ask Siri to remotely start the shower with the sound of their voice. Users will know the commands have worked as the device will reply indicating the desired activity has been completed, the app on their smartphone and the controller in the shower will respond by lighting up, changing color and reacting to the specific command.

“HomeKit will allow Moen to take this smart shower to the next level,” says Michael Poloha, senior product manager. “Now homeowners can have their shower integrated into their smart home ecosystem, and enjoy the convenience of a connected lifestyle.”

How U by Moen Works:
The U by Moen shower includes a digital valve that offers precise, thermostatic temperature control, and enables the user to connect up to four shower devices (showerheads, handshowers, body sprays, etc.). The Wi-Fi-connected digital shower controller features a five-inch, non-touch, LCD screen that provides feedback on the shower status through on-screen messaging and notifications. For users’ safety, the shower valve will allow temperatures between 60 and 120 degrees. As they change the water temperature, the color of the screen will evolve from light blue, dark blue, purple, orange and red indicating the system is warming up or cooling down to reach the desired water temperature. When the shower is ready, the screen will turn white and provide an on-screen notification and signal with a tone. The controller itself has seven to nine buttons – depending on whether it's a two- or four-outlet system – enabling users to accurately control their shower experience. The controller’s design not only is stylish, but it also provides users with the best of connected features and functionality. They can customize settings directly in the shower and save them with one of two preset buttons.



About the App:
The U by Moen smartphone app gives users the ability to create up to 12 personalized presets, including name, greeting, outlets, temperature, shower timer and notifications. It also allows users to have the shower pause at initial start-up once it reaches the desired temperature. Not only can users create their personalized shower experience from within the app, but they also can fully control the shower from their smartphones. They can turn on the shower, change temperature and turn outlets on and off with the push of a button. The app also allows users to customize system-wide settings, such as the outlet icons, which Wi-Fi network the system is connected to, language and time zone. Security is an important aspect of any connected device, and Moen has thoughtfully designed each U by Moen shower product to have a unique encrypted key to ensure the connection is always secure. The smartphone app is available as a free download from the Apple App Store.


Easy to Install:
“At Moen, we not only listen to the wants and needs of consumers, but to those individuals who
will be installing our products. To make installation easier, U by Moen shower offers a 30-foot data cable between the digital valve and controller so it can be put wherever is most convenient for the plumber and homeowner,” Poloha adds. To give users peace of mind, the digital valve also has an optional battery backup kit available. If the power happens to go out while someone is in the shower, the system will not shut off.



Pricing and Availability:
First generation U by Moen owners will get Amazon Alexa support via a software update that is set to arrive in late Q1 2018. For Apple HomeKit support, you'll need to purchase the second generation controller that arrives in Q2 2018. The new controller has a MFi chip which lets it work with both Alexa and HomeKit.

Pricing remains the same, $1160 for the two outlet controller and valve and $2200 for the four outlet controller and valve.

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