

Philips has announced a new iOS-controlled LED lighting system that can emulate nearly any color, as well as personalize the lighting experience with a wide array of dimmer and scheduling options. The company believes the new bulbs could reinvent "the way we think about and experience light in our homes."



Building on its innovation capabilities, today Philips unveils hue, the world’s smartest web-enabled LED home lighting system. Philips hue signals a new era in home lighting both in the way we think about and experience light in our homes. It allows you to create and control the light using your smartphone or tablet. [...] Philips hue can be setup in minutes. The intuitive app allows you to remotely control your home lighting to help secure your home, personalize your home lighting experience with custom settings and program timers to help manage your daily schedules, all through the convenience of a smart device. An intuitive and seamless system, Philips hue is upgradeable and future-proof, with the potential for more features to be downloaded and enjoyed in the future.

Philips is also working on new features including geo-location to automatically turn lights on or off when users approach or leave heir homes, as well as integrating with other media including sound and video.

The bulbs will be sold exclusively via Apple Stores beginning tomorrow. Hue is $199 for three bulbs plus the wireless link that can support up to 50 bulbs. Additional bulbs are available for $59 each.

Apple has been pushing app-enabled accessories heavily in its online and retail stores, offering products as varied as thermostats, weight scales, blood pressure monitors, a meat thermometer and a pet-tracking GPS collar.

Update: The starter pack ($199.95) and individual bulbs ($59.95) are now available in Apple's online store.