Microsoft improves Cortana’s home automation skills, integrates IFTTT platform

With an objective to tap the growing home automation market, Microsoft's digital assistant Cortana will now support more smart home devices and integrate with IFTTT (If This Then That)-- a free web-based platform that helps users connect their apps and services together, the company has announced.

Cortana now supports devices from ecobee, Honeywell Lyric, Honeywell Total Connect Comfort, LIFX, TP-Link Kasa and Geeni.

Cortana running on Windows 10 Operating System (OS), iPhone, Android and the Harman Kardon Invoke speakers, can be used to control these devices.

"Say 'Hey Cortana, set the living room thermostat to 72 degrees' to control your ecobee, Honeywell Lyric, or Honeywell Total Connect Comfort thermostat. With vivid colours from your LIFX Wi-Fi connected light bulbs, you can set the mood just right for movie night," the company wrote in a blog post late on Friday.

To set up their connected home with the digital assistant, users need to open Cortana on Windows 10 or go to the Cortana app on their phone, click Notebook and then click Connected Home.

"From there, you can connect your favourite smart home accounts and control your devices from anywhere you use Cortana," the post added..

The tech giant also announced Cortana's support for IFTTT.

IFTTT (If This Then That) is both a website and a mobile app that was launched in 2010.

"Using IFTTT, you will be able to customise your experience by creating your own phrases to use with services on IFTTT. You can also use Applets on IFTTT with Cortana to trigger multiple actions with one phrase," Microsoft said.