If you’re keen on getting some smart light bulbs in your house but have been waiting for the right time to strike, now is your moment. Earlier today Cree pulled the curtain back on it’s newest bulb: a network-connected 60W replacement LED bulb priced at just under $15. That makes it one of the cheapest smart lighting options on the market.
In terms of specs, the new bulb is almost exactly the same as its non-connected counterpart. It pumps out 815 lumens, consumes 11W at full brightness, and also sports Cree’s next-generation 4Flow Filament design for an even, omnidirectional glow.
The only difference is that it’s also compatible with Wink and ZigBee-certified hubs, so you can control it from anywhere in the world. Just sync your bulbs to the accompanying smartphone app, and you can easily dim or brighten them, schedule them to come on at the start of each day, or even turn on at random times while you’re away to make it look like somebody’s home.
Furthermore, Cree designed its new bulb to be future-proof and baked in support for Apple’s HomeKit. So, in the not-so-distant future, you’ll be able to link all kinds of different smart home gadgets to your lights and have them intelligently react based on contextual cues.
The only downside is that you’ll need to dish out for a Wink or Zigbee hub to get access to all the nifty features the bulbs provide. If you’ve already got one of these hubs in your home, you’re golden — but if not, the additional price of a hub will increase your cost of entry a bit. Still, even with the cost of a hub included, 15 bucks per bulb makes Cree one of the most affordable connected lighting options available.
The new bulbs are expected to go on sale both online and at Home Depot stores starting later this month.
