Fluidra Firsts: How Jandy Invented the Pool Automation System and Never Looked Back
Fluidra Firsts is a content series exploring how we've shaped today's pool experience through a history of innovation. These aren't just stories about the past—they're the foundation that fuels how we continue pushing what's possible.
Home automation has fundamentally transformed the way we live, from how we interact with our spaces to how we move through our daily routines. We schedule our lights to turn on before we arrive home, adjust our thermostats from our phones, and lock our doors without a second thought. The backyard is no exception. As smart home technology evolved, so did the way we at Fluidra think about what automation can and should do for pool owners and pool professionals alike. But before we look at where pool automation is headed, it's worth taking a look back at where it all began, and how Jandy, a Fluidra brand, has led the way.
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Pioneering the First Pool Automation System
Jandy's story begins in the 1950s, when we established ourselves as a forward-thinking force in the pool industry. As early as 1957, we introduced the first automatic pool cleaner, revolutionizing pool maintenance and dramatically reducing the manual labor required of pool owners. It was an early signal of what Jandy believed: that pool ownership should be enjoyable, not a second job.
But the defining moment came in 1986, when Jandy introduced the first pool automation system ever brought to market. At a time when the broader smart home industry was still years away from taking shape, Jandy gave pool owners something revolutionary to make pool care more convenient.
AquaLink: Smart Pool Control at the Center
That pioneering spirit matured into one of the most trusted pool automation systems in the industry: AquaLink®. Designed as the central nervous system of the modern pool, AquaLink brought pumps, heaters, lighting, and valves under unified smart pool control in a completely new way. AquaLink RS systems fully integrate with home automation systems and feature patented seasonal adjust technology, which can modify schedules throughout the year for additional energy savings.
The impact went beyond convenience. By automating run schedules and syncing with broader home systems, AquaLink turned the pool from an energy drain into an intelligently managed asset. Homeowners and pool professionals alike weren't just saving time; they were saving money.
iAquaLink®: A Pool Automation App Built for the Way You Live
When smartphones changed the way people interacted with the world, we were ready. The launch of iAquaLink in 2012 set a new standard for what a pool control app could be. For homeowners, the pool was no longer something you managed when you got home. For pool professionals, it meant the ability to monitor and support clients remotely, on their terms. iAquaLink allows pool owners to control their pool anytime, anywhere using a free app for smartphones or other smart devices, controlling all elements of the pool or pool/spa system, even when on the go. It's also compatible with more mobile device platforms than any other pool control system.
With each generation, the pool automation app grew more powerful. iAquaLink 3.0 delivers fast, secure, and stable Wi-Fi connection for remote operation from any smartphone, tablet, or web browser, with full system control of pumps, heaters, lights, and water features.
Knowing the Water: TruSense™ and Intelligent Chemistry Management
Perhaps the most significant evolution in the pool automation system space has been moving beyond equipment control and into water intelligence. Keeping a pool chemically balanced has always been one of the most time-consuming and technically demanding aspects of pool ownership and care. Jandy's TruSense technology changes that equation entirely.
TruSense works with Jandy AquaLink RS automation to deliver real-time readings to the iAquaLink app, allowing pool owners to quickly and conveniently monitor pH levels and chlorine activity (ORP) from a smart device. Rather than waiting for a weekly service visit or guessing based on water clarity, both owners and professionals now have continuous, data-driven insight into what the water is actually doing. Using advanced-detection technology, TruSense automatically and continually assesses pH and ORP levels as water passes through the system and sends readings to the owner's mobile device, enabling proactive management of water imbalance.
This is the shift from reactive to predictive, and is a glimpse into the future.
The Pool as Part of the Smart Home Ecosystem
At Jandy, we are always looking for the next wave of innovation. As smart home platforms continue to evolve, we're making sure pool automation isn't left behind. Today's most popular home automation systems already sync with our pool technology, allowing homeowners to control features like heating, lighting, and water settings with simple voice commands through platforms like Alexa®*.
This level of integration matters because it reflects how people actually live. The modern home is no longer a collection of separate systems, but one connected experience. The pool, once treated as a standalone feature, is now an extension of that ecosystem.
That's one reason Fluidra joined the Matter Alliance. Matter represents the future of smart home connectivity: an open, secure, and reliable standard designed to ensure devices work seamlessly together, regardless of brand or platform. By helping shape this new standard, we're helping ensure pool automation becomes a natural, intuitive part of the smart home experience.
The Road Ahead: The Next Generation of Pool Automation
For all the progress that has been made, the pool automation system space still has significant room to grow. Here at Jandy, we are already working on what comes next through Ignite What's Next.
Homeowners want and expect a pool that is simply always ready. They want to walk out the back door and have the water at just the right temperature, the lights set, and the chemistry balanced. True smart pool control means the technology is seamless and proactive.
The vision for pool professionals is equally transformative. Rather than arriving at a service call to find a problem that has been building for days, the pool pro of the future will be diagnosing and resolving issues before the homeowner ever notices anything is wrong.
At Jandy, we are actively building toward that future. The next chapter of the pool automation system isn't about adding more buttons or more features. It's about making smart pool control intelligent enough to get out of the way, so the only thing a pool owner has to think about is enjoying the water.
From the first automatic cleaner in 1957 to the first pool automation system in 1986, Jandy has never followed the industry. It has led it. We aren't done yet.
* Alexa is a trademark of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates