Philips launches smartphone-controlled lightbulb

Philips has introduced an LED home-lighting system which can be controlled through a smartphone or tablet.

Different coloured lights in all rooms of the house
Different coloured lights in all rooms of the house

The new Philips Hue bulbs can change colour, shade and tone remotely through a smartphone app.

Users can, for example, change room lighting to match any colour in a photograph, control lighting remotely through the app, or set timers on room lighting.

The 'energise' setting
The ‘energise’ setting

The system works through LED lightbulbs, which can screw into existing light fittings, a ‘bridge’ that can plug into a wifi router, and a Hue app, that can be downloaded to smartphones.

A starter pack, which features three lightbulbs, the wifi bridge and an app, costs £179.

The 'relax' setting
The ‘relax’ setting

Philips says it is also opening the app up to developers and has created an open-source platform at http://www.meethue.com/en-US, which developers can use to adapt the app.

Jeroen de Waal, head of marketing & strategy at Philips Lighting, says, ‘Philips Hue is… a completely new way to experience and interact with light.

Colours on the tablet interface
Colours on the tablet interface

‘In the way phones, media and entertainment have been revolutionised by digital technology, now we can also personalise light and enjoy limitless applications.’

Philips says it is also working on new features such as integrating sound and video into the control system and adding geo-location services, allowing Hue to sense when you are home and automatically turn on the lights.

The bulb slots into existing light fittings
The bulb slots into existing light fittings

Iris worked as created and strategic partners on the Hue launch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlALfsD-4_Q

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