Philips Hue: The smart home’s light bulb moment
Summary
This episode of Version History explores the origin of Philips Hue, the smart lighting system that pioneered smartphone-controlled home automation. Host David Pierce and guests Jen Toohey and Richard Gunther discuss how Philips leveraged early LED technology and the iPhone to create a customizable lighting ecosystem. The conversation covers the product’s difficult engineering challenges, its controversial $199 launch price, and its strategic partnership with Apple, which helped establish the modern smart home market.
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