CLEVELAND, Jan. 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- GE Lighting is deepening its C by GE portfolio in 2019, adding new platforms to help consumers realize more benefits across the home, including families of smart wall switches, full color lights and accessories. The company also will leverage industry-leading partnerships to extend adoption, ease of set-up and every-day control, including launching its new color bulbs with Made for Google status.
This industry-first designation means without an extra hub and in just one app, you can use the Google Home, Google Mini, Google Max or Google Home Hub to quickly and easily set-up and seamlessly connect and control new C by GE full-color bulbs. This compatibility, made possible through a Bluetooth connection between the products, follows a successful C by GE Made-for-Google bulb and Smart Light Starter Kit launch, which earned the companies a CES Innovations Awards Honoree designation.
"Lighting is pervasive at home, which makes for an intuitive way to turn on smart benefits," says Paul Williams, General Manager of Product Management & Growth, GE Lighting. "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."
These 2019 additions will roll out in phases starting this quarter:
Full Color LEDs
For both everyday use and entertainment value for holidays, sports celebrations and other moments, C by GE adds color solutions with millions of color options, plus tunable whites, in a 60-watt equivalent A19 bulb, a BR30 for recessed cans and a custom-sized light strip. Control them all with your voice, an app or through custom routines and schedules.
C by GE Smart Switches
Make any bulb smart with the introduction of new C by GE smart switches. Without the need for an additional GE hub, the new smart switches allow consumers to turn on and off, dim* and control away from home any brand incandescent, halogen, CFL or LED bulb with their favorite voice assistant, an app, their touch or even their movement.
For C by GE smart bulb users, the switches bring extra benefit by eliminating the need for an external hub and allowing for full control of C by GE bulbs even when the switch is off—an industry first for in-wall smart switches that eliminates an existing challenge of kids or visitors accidentally flipping the switch and disabling full control of smart bulbs.
The switches also offer multi-way connections between each other, allowing whole-room lighting control by grouping bulbs on different circuits wirelessly – no travel wire or complicated set-up required.
The family of switches offers multiple options, from a more basic smart on/off switch to a dimmer switch with an embedded motion and ambient light sensor for both hands-free convenience and energy conservation.
Smart Accessories
Finally, to make homes more productive and comfortable, C by GE adds an accessories platform. To start, a smart wall plug makes nearly anything controllable at or away from home with a consumer's voice or an app, from a table lamp to the Christmas tree.
A new motion sensor means no more germy hands touching the wall switch or lights accidentally left on. A battery-powered motion sensor will detect motion and ambient light to control your lighting based on movement and light in the room.
Partner Ecosystem
To meet consumer preferences, in addition to Made for Google compatibility, these products will be compatible with Amazon Alexa and Apple Homekit when using the C-Reach hub and the re-imagined C by GE app.
About C by GE
GE's C by GE brand Lights the Way You Live with outcome-driven, all-in-one lighting solutions to solve real-world challenges and tap into new potential at home, enabling homeowners to do more and be better. Part of the GE Lighting portfolio, C by GE products build on the company's century of innovation and invention. Our deep understanding of the home and our expertise in the connectivity of things results in simple connected designs to help people thrive.
*Requires a compatible dimmable bulb. For a full list of compatible products, visit www.CbyGE.com.
SOURCE GE Lighting