GE, Google Sync On Smart Home Devices

GE, Google Sync on Smart Home Devices

The 2019 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) will be an interesting one, according to a report from a tech outlet, because of a showdown between Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant, two competing AI helpers. However, one company – GE – is planning to debut some major collaborations with Google.

During an October 2018 event for Google’s phone, the Pixel 3, GE announced that its C by GE brand bulbs were going to be the first to have the Made by Google certification, with Google Home functionality, right out of the packaging.

GE plans to show numerous additional products at CES, which will apparently triple the size of the C by GE brand. Besides the regular bulbs, GE will release full-color lights with color options in the millions, as well as a few different configurations and a lighting strip.

Another new product will be the GE light switch, a product that will allow for remote dimming of regular bulbs. It’s also a smart plug and motion sensor, which will control a room’s brightness in response to movement or ambient light. All of the new products will be compatible with Home devices, and they won’t need to use a separate smart home hub. However, the C by GE brand is not a Google-exclusive product.

The products will also work with Alexa or Apple’s HomeKit. The lights will retail for somewhere between $40 and $75, while the smart plug will run around $25.

Last month, GE announced it was establishing a new independent Internet of Things (IoT) company from the GE Digital business and several of its technologies. The new company would start with $1.2 billion in yearly software revenue and an established global customer base. It is intended to be a wholly GE-owned, independently run business, but with a new brand and identity. It will have its own equity structure and also its own board of directors.