LG enters the connected lighting market with the Smart Lamp

LG has  just unveiled the Smart Lamp, its first take on the connected lighting space. The 10W LED bulb gives Android and iOS users a familiar level of control over their illumination, including a light-based alarm clock and a security mode that pretends you’re at home. There are a couple of noteworthy tricks in this initial offering, however. The Smart Lamp is more expensive than ordinary LEDs at 35,000 won ($32) in LG’s native Korea, but it could be a good deal if you don’t need the many-colored lighting of Hue and similar systems. 

LG has announced the arrival of its first ever Smart Bulb, a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-enabled device that you can control with a smartphone. Not only do these bulbs enable you to manage your home lighting from anywhere you can get a data signal, they also last for more than a decade and can save you up to 80 percent on your energy bills too, according to the manufacturer. It’s a busy market that LG is dipping its toe into, with the likes of Philips, Belkin and Lumen already having a significant head start. Nevertheless, the more choice the better as far as consumers are concerned, and LG seems confident that its bulb can dazzle the competition. Among the features you can expect from the Smart Bulb are a party mode (where brightness and blinking adjusts to the beat of your music) and a security mode (which switches your lights on and off while you’re away from the house).