Smart bulbs are finally here and going green just got a whole lot easier. Did you forget to turn the downstairs lights off, but you are cozy upstairs in bed? No problem. Stop wasting that electricity and turn the lights off instantly with your smart phone or other connected device. There is definitely a demand for this product and GE is more than prepared to become the major provider meeting it.

The GE smart bulb, dubbed Link, comes in three different styles with the most expensive currently priced at under $25. However instead of designing a proprietary smart home platform, GE has paired with Wink, an all in one app that allows control over connected in-home devices, who are praised for the openness of their platform. This is an open invitation to GE’s competition to innovate and bring down the cost of their smart bulbs. Rarely does a corporate giant like GE make a move that could change their profit outcome, but the potential benefit of gaining environmentally conscious consumers is pushing them towards lowering LED bulb costs.

There has been so much speculation among adopters of LED technology that the longevity of LED bulbs has made multiple companies reluctant to try and bring down prices. Once an LED bulb is purchased, replacement may not be necessary for my years thus lowering profit to lighting companies due to decreased light bulb sales. A few more modifications in the lighting industry however, may quickly reveal the path towards affordable LED lighting in the future.