Enlarge Image Nanoleaf

It's hip to be a square -- or in Nanoleaf's case, a hexagon.

Yep, just one month after releasing long-awaited, square-shaped, touch-sensitive, color-changing light panels that you can control with Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant voice commands, Toronto-based lighting startup Nanoleaf is bringing a six-sided alternative to CES 2019. Still yet to be officially named, the newly shaped panels work just like their square predecessors and are due in stores by the end of 2019. No word yet on pricing.

From the sound of it, this is a purely cosmetic alternative for folks who want something that looks as futuristic as possible. Nanoleaf points to gamers as a key demographic, many of whom appreciate lights that look like something pulled straight out of a space shooter such as Halo or Mass Effect. And don't worry -- for the rest of us, the square-shaped Canvas panels and the original triangular-shaped panels aren't going anywhere.

Oh, and Nanoleaf sells light bulbs, too. Remember those?

The hexagons underscore Nanoleaf's strategy of stepping on the gas with its light panels, which remain the company's best-seller by a significant margin. The timing makes sense, too, given that the popularity of voice helpers like Alexa and Google Assistant has many shoppers seeking out smart lights for their AI assistant of choice to control.

The competition also seems to have taken notice of Nanoleaf's success. Lifx is already in the mix with color-changing panels of its own called Lifx Tiles -- and with manufacturers continuing to see appeal for color-changing smart lights, it only seems like a matter of time before we have other alternatives vying for a spot on our walls, as well. One such alternative, the newly-announced LaMetric Sky, was actually announced here at CES 2019 at the exact same time as Nanoleaf's hexagon reveal.

In other words, the walls in the CNET Smart Home might be about to get awfully crowded.

We'll get our first look at the new hexagons here in Las Vegas at CES 2019, so expect fresh pics and video coverage in the very near future.

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