Lifx has played a bit of an underdog role since it first hit Kickstarter many years ago, battling Philips Hue, Nanoleaf and others for smart home supremacy. The brand has continued to find a niche by offering affordable alternatives to bigger names. Today, the Lifx Candle Color and Z TV Light Strip are hitting the scene after first being teased way back at CES 2019. Both sport the brand’s Polychrome Technology, which brings with it the ability to emit various colors out of a single bulb or lightstrip at the same time. A feature that makes both of the latest Lifx products particularly notable. Hit the jump for more on both of today’s announcements.

Lifx Candle Color delivers a rainbow of light

One of the defining features of the Lifx lineup, which has proven to set itself apart from others, is the lack of a required hub. While Philips Hue just recently made that plunge, Lifx has been out in front with a simplified experience that’s perfect for beginner smart homes. Each Lifx bulb offers HomeKit support and ties directly into your network right out of the box.

So back to Lifx’s Polychrome Technology. This is pretty sweet, as far as the press images show. Lifx has developed a pretty neat feature here which allows a single bulb to emit various colors. While other brands like Philips Hue try to accomplish various scenes with multiple bulbs, Lifx does it with a single product. We’ve seen this previously used in the brand’s more high-end offering, but this is the first time it’s been available in a single bulb. It will retail for $45 in October.

Z TV Light Strip offers ambient lighting for your viewing pleasure

Meanwhile, the new Lifx Z TV Light Strip will deliver another competitor Philips’ popular alternative. It packs that same Polychrome Technology mentioned above for a multi-color look that will not require multiple bulbs. It’s well-known that ambient lighting around a TV helps cutdown on eye strain, making this lighstrip all the more potentially valuable.

Lifx will be making the Z TV Light Strip available for purchase in October as well for $70. That’s right in line with Hue’s offerings, although we regularly see third-party options available for less.

9to5Toys’ Take

Lifx continues to offer a route for those not entrenched in the Philips Hue ecosystem. Their pricing is attractive and the lack of a required hub make it easy to recommend to those just starting to build a smart home setup. Add in the multi-color features on both the Lifx Candle Color and Z TV Light Strip, and you have two products worth checking out. More competition is welcome, especially if it drives down prices.

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