There are few household items that can't be controlled via your smartphone these days, as long as you're willing to pay the premium for them. Your thermostat, your door locks, your washer and dryer—let's just hope the post-apocalyptic future introduced by Revolution doesn't happen anytime soon. But worry not, because if you're trying to tweak your basement make-out palace or dorm room you can now also control the color of your ambient lighting via your smartphone, and you'll only be able to buy the bulbs that can do it through Apple.
Philips announced on Monday that it would begin selling its new Philips hue LED bulbs exclusively through Apple starting on October 31. The bulbs themselves can display "normal" hues of white light as well as a plethora of colors. The bulbs are equipped with a Wi-Fi connection, allowing them to be controlled remotely via iOS app. Each bulb is a 50 watt "equivalent" and they're sold as a three-pack for $199 (what, you thought LED bulbs would be cheap?). The app allows you to take a color sample from anything in your home—a photo, furniture, the walls—in order to create a customized light environment, and you can also use it to set timers or control the lights remotely. In addition to developing an iOS app to go along with the bulbs, Philips has offered up an open source platform for developers to work on their own hue-inspired offerings.
It's unclear why Philips has chosen to sell the bulbs exclusively through Apple, but the company clearly believes Apple's audience would be more likely to purchase this kind of product from the outset than the owners of other devices. So, anyone buying?
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