C by GE is making major expansions in its investment in the smart home sector by announcing a whole slew of new products that will hit the market in 2019. The manufacturer of electrical and digital products is tripling its portfolio of available products in 2019, including a new set of full-color bulbs that are specifically designed to meet Google’s high standards, including its “Made for Google” branding that will appear on the bulbs and devices.
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The Google partnership gives GE an industry-first designation and adds a new layer of usability for smart home owners who are enchanted by Google Assistant or the popular Google Home. The bulbs and switches coming onto the market can be operated without an exterior hub and can be controlled seamlessly through any of Google’s smart home devices including the Google Home, Google Mini, Google Max or Google Home Hub using Bluetooth technology. The connective technology was a major part of last year’s launch of the initial C by GE Made-for-Google bulb and Smart Light Starter Kit, which earned the companies a CES Innovations Awards Honoree designation for the collaboration.
“Lighting is pervasive at home, which makes for an intuitive way to turn on smart benefits,” Paul Williams, general manager of Product Management and Growth for GE Lighting, said in a statement. “We are leveraging lighting’s real estate, plus powerful partner connections, to launch new easy-to-use platforms that drive more productivity, safety, and enjoyment throughout the home.
Probably the most popular item in GE’s new ecosystem of products is its full-color LEDs and the new products add full-color solutions with millions of color options as well as tunable whites in a variety of lighting solutions including a new and improved bulb for the home, an incandescent floodlight and a custom-sized lighting strip, all of which can be controlled by voice, through GE’s app, or through custom-programmed routines and schedules.
As mentioned, the new C by GE smart switches add an additional layer of control without the need for a smart home hub, giving users full control over any bulb in the house — even when its power switch is off. Users have a range of control options from simply turning lights on and off to acting as a live dimmer switch. A new embedded, battery-powered motion and ambient light sensor can also detect motion to turn on lights automatically or make “smart” changes to light based on the ambient light in the room, adding an extra layer of hands-free convenience and energy conservation.
Finally, C by GE is adding an accessories platform for additional control options, starting with a smart wall plug that makes nearly any device, whether smart or old school, controllable at home or away from home either by voice or app.
Oh, and if you’re predisposed to another device ecosystem such as Amazon’s Alexa or the Apple Homekit, don’t fret. To meet consumer demand, these new products will be compatible with other platforms when using the C-Reach hub and the newly redesigned C by GE app.
