Right on Hue: Networked bulb comes to light

London – Philips has unveiled the Hue, a networked, multicoloured LED light that consumers can control via tablet and smartphone apps that is available exclusively at Apple stores.

The Hue may persuade sceptics who find most LED lighting to be harsh to take another look at the technology. Different settings can produce candlelight, cool white light or rainbow colours. ‘In the same way that phones, media and entertainment have been revolutionised by digital technology, now we can also personalise light,’ says Jeroen de Waal, head of marketing and strategy at Philips Lighting.

Users can also sample lighting colours from photos. The Hue bulb contains four built-in settings that Philips says are correlated with optimal conditions for reading, relaxation, concentration or to boost energy.

This is a great example of the growing trend toward designing intuitive, networked objects. For more on how the home is changing in the digital era, read our Future Family macrotrend.