CES 2020: LIFX App Refresh & Portfolio Upgrades With Gaming Lights

LIFX has spent all of 2019 listening to its customers and has unveiled a new range that suits even more customers than before, LIFX has unveiled five new products for the connected home, plus a new app design.

The new lineup includes the LIFX Filament White, the LIFX Switch (A$179 or $149.95 pre-order price), the LIFX Z TV 360 kit & LIFX Z Gamer Kit and the LIFX Candle White to Warm Light, all coming in Autumn.

In addition, the Melbourne based company has also unveiled the Australian exclusive 100mm Downlight White to Warm, expected to hit Target stores in 2020 for $69.99.

The downlight is a white-only light making it a more affordable option the LIFX colour downlights.

LIFX is jumping on the retro bandwagon with its range of Filament smart lights, with the ST64 Teardrop LEDs, available in smokey, amber and clear glass version.

The single warm white light will be followed up by the G95 Globe, with both featuring the same LIFX platform for cloud connectivity.

For those who want a more traditional way to control their smart lights, or for the ‘not-so-tech-hungry’, the LIFX four-gang switch can control both dumb and smart lights.

The LIFX Switch is just the first of more control solutions to come in 2020, according to CEO, Dave McLauchlan.

Joining the previously announced Candle Colour, the Candle White to Warm is a more affordable variant of the flickering light.

Finally is the integration of gaming with the LIFX platform, with the company joining forces with Razer to allow users to connect the smart lights to Razer Chroma Devices via the Chroma Connector.

This partnership comes alongside the extension of the Z range of LED light strips from LIFX, with the new 360 and Gamer kits designed for use behind a TV or monitor.

David Kavanagh, Director of Growth Products, claims the unique value of using Polychrome Technology, coupled with the rick effects in the LIFX app, has led to the introduction of use-case-based products.

Finally, the new app design will include a more modern and friendly user experience, optimised for three everyday users:

1. “The Scheduler” – Scheduling and automation are users’ number one reason for investing in smart lights, so the new Schedules page makes creating and viewing your schedules easy.
2. “The Whole-Home User” – The Dashboard now contains groups, and those groups can be controlled from the dashboard itself.
3. “The On-Demand User” – This person likes one-touch flexibility, but for pre-programmed actions. That’s why the Scenes & Effects

According to Rachel Wilson, Director of Design LIFX, ‘It’s wise to review and innovate the user experience before it begins to lose relevance, not after’.

As a user LIFX products myself, I very much welcome these software changes to improve the already stellar smart lighting experience offered by the Melbourne based company.

In addition to the partnership with Razer, LIFX will also be implementing native control through Brilliant lighting and Sevenhugs Smart Remotes in August.