• 2 min read
SwitchBot brings Matter to hardwired ceiling lights
SwitchBot’s new RGBICWW ceiling light adds native Matter support, up to 3,200 lumens, and multi-color effects for under $50.
Image: 9to5Mac
Hardwired smart lighting is finally getting the same platform support as smart bulbs. SwitchBot’s new RGBICWW ceiling light connects to Apple Home via Matter right out of the box, with no SwitchBot Hub required.
As long as an Apple TV 4K or HomePod is online, the fixture joins an existing setup over 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. That gives Apple Home users a native path to add a permanent overhead light fixture rather than relying on screw-in bulbs or plug-in adapters.
SwitchBot is selling the light in two sizes:
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- 12-inch model for hallways and bathrooms with 2,000 lumens
- 15-inch model for living rooms and bedrooms with 3,200 lumens
The light supports continuous dimming from 100% to 0%. Its RGBIC design uses independent chips to show multiple colors at the same time across the fixture, enabling more dynamic effects than standard smart bulbs that typically display a single color at once.
For more conventional lighting, SwitchBot also includes dedicated warm and cool white LEDs with adjustable color temperature from 2700K to 6500K. There’s also power-off memory, so the light restores its previous brightness and color settings after a power interruption.
The main tradeoff, according to the source, is the reliance on 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi instead of Thread, which could have offered faster response times in a mesh network. Even so, a hardwired native Matter light for under $50 stands out as a strong value in a category that is only starting to fill in.
Frontier Editor
Dan is our resident futurist, covering electric mobility, space exploration, and the smart home. He's interested in atoms just as much as bits. Whether it's a new battery chemistry, a reusable rocket, or a protocol that finally makes IoT devices talk to each other, Dan breaks down the engineering that pushes humanity forward.
via 9to5Mac
