George Yianni, Head of Technology at Philips Lighting Home Systems talked about the lighting industry in the smart home in terms of challenges and development plans to further expand business.
George Yianni, Head of Technology at Philips Lighting Home Systems talked about the lighting industry in the smart home in terms of challenges and development plans to further expand business.
Lighting is considered to be one of the main interests in the connected home alongside energy and security. Consumers consider these aspect the most important benefit of a smart home. “We found that ambience creation is a major driver for smart lighting in the home,” said Yianni.
Connected lighting in the smart home is not just providing ambience, comfort and smart energy management. When connected to other smart home devices, the smart lights can provide home owners peace of mind. “We deliver energy savings and peace of mind through Philips Hue—our connected LED lights—which can be controlled to simulate the homeowners’ presence when they are away from home. Interoperated with other apps, smart devices and platforms such as with Nest Cam, the Philips Hue lights will be triggered when an unwelcome visitor is detected,” added Yianni.
Though the smart home has instigated a trend, there is a number of consumers unware of the products and benefits. “The biggest challenge we have remains awareness of the value of the new propositions of connected lighting—transforming the perception of a light bulb as being on/off to something which offers value beyond illumination,” said Yianni.
In addition, he believes that standardization and seamless interoperability are keys to facilitate wide adoption of smart lights. Philips Lighting allows other brands to work with Philips Hue system via ZigBee Light Link interoperability. Also, the company opened the Friends of Hue partnership program to ensure seamless interaction with other brands. “We aim to provide seamless experiences of Internet of Things for homes by partnering with others. We provide the full API, so that our partners can integrate Philips Hue in their innovations. Through the Friends of Hue partnership program, we test and certify products and the integrations with Philips Hue to ensure full integration and seamless interoperability of these new lighting experiences,” explained Yianni.
Partnering with other brands is one of its major business strategies. “We see the partnership with other brands is the key to unlocking the value of connected light – both for us and for consumers. Standardization through alliances like ZigBee and programs like Friends of Hue helps to deliver seamless integrations and driving the adoption of the Internet of Things for homes.”
When it comes to product development plans, Philips launched a new bridge integrated with Apple HomeKit. Our customers can control Philips Hue lights via Siri voice control through an iPhone or iPad, or with Amazon via Alexa. Philips Hue also integrates with a great deal of wearables, such as Apple Watch, Jawbone and Fitbit.
In addition, the company designed specific product lines to cater to specific regions. For instance, the company collaborated with Xiaomi to launch a connected desk lamp called Philips EyeCare, designed for the Chinese market. The lamp can be controlled through the Xiaomi smart home mobile app.
“With Philips Hue, we aim to deliver an amazing lighting experience for homes and truly unlock the value of light for consumers,” concluded Yianni.
Product Adopted:Lighting & Climate Control