GE Lighting challenges Philips with its affordable Link LED Bulb that connects to Wi-Fi and can be controlled from a smartphone app.
GE Lightings recently launched a new light bulb that connects to a smartphone, helping boost the young Internet of Things industry.
The new addition may be as little as a LED light bulb, but GE has made the idea of smart home appliances much more affordable. Challenging the Philips' Hue light bulb, GE's Link LED Bulb is a new affordable lighting solution that lets consumers control their homes' lighting system with a smartphone.
With the help of a smartphone app called Wink, Link bulb can be controlled remotely from anywhere in the world as long as the bulb is connected to Wi-Fi. GE collaborated with Quirky, a design company, to develop the smartphone app. The Wink app can be downloaded from Google Play Store and Apple App Store for Android and iOS based smartphones, respectively.
"Our very own Thomas Edison built the first commercially viable bulb, and today we're proud to announce the first commercially viable connected bulb designed for Wink users," John Strainic, general manager of North America Consumer Lighting for GE, said in a statement, last Friday. "We know the quality of light consumers love and want in their homes, and we're a brand they trust."
Link is one of many smart home appliances in the lineup. Quirky's Wink app works with a series of smart home appliances such as Aros air conditioners by Quirky and GE. Other products that the app supports are Egg Minder, which tells when the eggs are about to go bad and Spotter, which tracks temperature, light, sound and motion, Pivot Power Genius and more.
GE's new Link LED Bulb is available for pre-order at Home Depot with a $15 price tag. Compare that with Philip Hue's $200 price tag and Link is clearly the winner. The Link bulb is expected to last more than two decades, so the $15 price tag, which is higher compared to standard bulbs, is justified.
