We're seeing a lot of smart lighting tech at CES 2023, but while I'm delighted as always by new kinds of fun and functional lighting I'm even more interested in how much easier they're becoming to set up and use. The new smart home standard Matter is a big part of that, and this year we're seeing the biggest names in smart home tech embrace the standard so it's much easier to connect your smart lights to the rest of your smart home tech.
Nanoleaf has gone all-in on Matter, and that begins with its new Matter-certified Essentials bulbs. They're launching early this year in A19, BR30, GU10 and recessed downlight sizes, and there's a Matter-certified lightstrip too. Nanoleaf says all its modular light panels and light bars, the most fun bits of the Nanoleaf range, will be upgradeable to Matter later this year.
Matter isn't the only interesting thing Nanoleaf's unveiled at CES. It's also revealed "4D" lighting for your TV and some clever smart light switches too.
What's new from Nanoleaf at CES 2023?
In addition to Matter compatibility Nanoleaf has also announced Nanoleaf 4D, which is a kind of super-powered Ambilight/Hue rival that syncs your movies and games with your smart lights. It has four screen mirroring modes to choose from and 50 addressable zones on the lightstrip. Unlike Hue the sync doesn't work via a hardware box or expensive in-TV app; instead it uses a camera to watch your screen and adjust your lights accordingly. It works not just with the lights around your TV but your entire Nanoleaf setup. Expect to see a launch in late spring.
Last but not least there's the new Sense+ controls: a smart light switch, a wireless smart light switch and a "learning bridge". All three are Matter-compatible and have motion and lighting sensors to detect your home's comings and goings, enabling you to automate your lighting based on your routines. The learning bridge is also a Matter router. These new controls have already won this year's CES Innovation Award, and the wireless switch and bridge will launch in late 2023. The wired switch won't be available in the UK until 2024.
