C by GE takes on a new name and goes beyond smart lights

C by GE is starting to see big changes. The smart lighting brand takes on a new name, Cync, and expands beyond lighting to become more of a general-purpose smart home brand. The changes follow the sale of GE Lighting to Savant Systems, a luxury smart home company, in May 2020.

As Cync, the system is supposed to get a new app in March that claims to be more “user-friendly and customizable.” The brand is also launching an outdoor smart plug, a smart switch for ceiling fans and an indoor security camera – the latter being its first real business beyond smart plugs, lights and lighting accessories.

The Cync indoor camera can save images to the cloud or to an SD card, and the camera has a built-in privacy shutter that can cover the lens. The outdoor outlet launches in March, followed by the camera in May and the fan switch in June. The price has not been announced. A thermostat is also in the works for later in 2021.

C by GE has been around since 2015 when the brand launched bulbs that could be controlled from a phone via Bluetooth. They were a straightforward option for anyone who wanted to try out a smart bulb without investing too much, as the main competing options required expensive hubs at the time.

Since then, the product line has not changed drastically – it now offers products that support Wi-Fi, there are more lighting options, and a handful of switches and sockets. Turning the line into Cync seems like the first step in making the brand something bigger.