LG launches its first smart lightbulb in Korea

The electronics manufacturer has introduced its first connected lightbulb, which can be controlled from anywhere using any iOS or Android mobile device.

The electronics manufacturer has introduced its first connected lightbulb, which can be controlled from anywhere using any iOS or Android mobile device.

A 10W LED bulb, the Smart Lamp is available in white or other shades. LG claims that the bulbs have a 10-year lifetime when used five hours per day.

Through a smartphone, users can adjust the lighting level, turn the lights on and off (including when no one is at home, to make it look like someone is there) or even program the lamp so that it turns on gradually in the morning. There is even a party mode in which the bulb can be made to blink to the rhythm of the music played through a smartphone.

The bulb is available in South Korea for 35,000 won (around $32). There is no word yet on whether LG plans to market the Smart Lamp or a future version of the concept abroad.

The Smart Lamp is not the first connected lightbulb on the market. Introduced in 2012, Phillips's Hue web-enabled lighting system allows users to create custom, multi-colored 'lighting scenes' for each room of the house and recall them at will. Other so-called smart bulbs are devoted specifically to listening to music. The AwoX StriimLight, for example, is a standard LED lamp with a built-in Bluetooth speaker, meaning that it can play music streamed from a tablet or PC.