Smart Light Apps: How Do They Work for My Home?

What are Smart Apps?

As we continue technological advancements, our phones and smart devices have made life easier. We have moved into an age where we can conveniently control our homes' utilities and systems. These smart devices can include lighting, security systems, thermostats, and more. Many of these devices use apps that can be downloaded onto a phone or tablet. These apps will typically operate with either a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth network, compiling all your controls in one place. You can easily connect and manage devices by clicking a button or saying a command.

Bluetooth vs. Wi-Fi 

Smart apps will operate using a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection. Bluetooth connections will typically require you to be in close proximity to the device to operate. Usually, the communication range is around 30 feet, which works for applications only controlled at home, including smart speakers, TVs, and garage door openers. Wi-Fi connections allow for increased flexibility and a larger communication range. As long as a Wi-Fi connection is established, the app can control the smart device, meaning these devices aren’t as restricted by distance. For example, change your home's thermostat from using your phone, or get regular notifications from security cameras.

Products working through Wi-Fi connections must use Wi-Fi or a Wi-Fi Gateway. ‘Wi-Fi’ refers to the traditional setup of needing both a router and modem to connect a device to the Internet. A ‘Wi-Fi Gateway’ is equipment operating as both the router and modem to connect the device straight to the Internet. 

Hub Connection Required

All smart lighting options will either be no hub required, hub required, or hub optional. 

• 'No hub required' means the phone app or RF remote directly controls the device without an intermediary connection. 

• 'Hub required' means a Wi-Fi hub needs a centralized hub to connect the smartphone or ecosystem to the device. 

• 'Hub optional' refers to when an electronic device works with a smart app through the hub or with an RF remote without a hub. 

Smart Home Ecosystems 

A smart home ecosystem is a group of separate smart home devices operating on the same network. Popular examples include Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit.

Amazon Alexa is a smart home ecosystem compatible with lights, doorbell cameras, alarm clocks, speakers, and more. Alexa works with Amazon-specific products and other Matter-certified and Wi-Fi-connected devices. 

Google Home features seamless device operation in one place, including bulbs, smart plugs, TVs, and doorbells. Like Amazon Alexa, Google Home is operable with Google products and other Matter-certified devices. 

Apple established the Apple HomeKit as its smart ecosystem. This system connects all Apple products and lighting systems, cameras, thermostats, locks, and more if Matter-certified.

Note: While the ecosystems above are Matter-certified, certain non-Matter products can operate within the major ecosystem. For example, we offer smart lights without Matter certification, but they are compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home. 

Matter

Matter is a certification body working through various smart devices to streamline control in one place. Matter creates universal communication and interconnectivity between smart devices of different ecosystems, with over 1,000 certified devices. Once a device becomes Matter-certified, it can interact with the other Matter-certified devices. Unlike products requiring the manufacturer’s app to operate, Matter-certified products work with all Matter-certified ecosystem apps, such as Apple Home or Amazon Alexa. 

Types of Smart Phone Apps

Smartphone apps interact with smart device ecosystems for simultaneous control. For lighting, this includes managing multiple lights simultaneously and increasing the customizability, including adjusting the color, CCT, and power. However, smart apps operate various fixtures, not just limited to lighting. 

The most common smart apps used with our LEDs are below.

Happy Lighting 

Happy Lighting is a Bluetooth program for operating LEDs. This app can schedule lights to power on and off at designated times, change the colors, synchronize music, and more. Our Happy Lighting compatible products don’t require a hub connection. LED controllers and landscape spot light kits are standard light fixtures controlled with the app. 

Products using the Happy Lighting app can't connect to smart home ecosystems. 

Meross

The Meross company creates products to adapt to the constantly changing technology, such as in-app troubleshooting to fix issues as they occur. This app controls thermostats, motion sensors, alarms, and other devices. Our products with the Meross App don’t need a hub connection and work via Wi-Fi. Though it varies, certain smart lights using Meross are Matter-certified and operate through Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and SmartThings. The most common product offering with Meross connections is smart plug outlets. Both indoor and outdoor plugs are available for additional controllability inside your home or for landscape lighting. 

MiBoxer

MiBoxer, formerly known as MiLight, is an international company offering a diverse selection of smart products. The MiBoxer Smart App adjusts smart lighting fixtures, including the Correlated Color Temperature (CCT), color, and light intensity. This app is operable with Amazon Alexa and Google Home. Hub requirements vary by product, and a Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi gateway connection is required for operation. 

This blog explains how to connect your MiBoxer to a Wi-Fi gateway. 

We carry a diverse product line of LED lights operable using MiBoxer, including:

• Landscape Spot Lights

• In-Ground Well Lights

• Underwater Lights

• Flood Lights

• Up or Down Sconce Lights

• Smart Bulbs 

Certain MiBoxer products are compatible with the Smart Life by Tuya app. 

Open-Lit

Open-Lit makes integrating smart systems into homes easier. Certain Open-Lit compatible products are operable with Amazon Alexa and Google Home. Our current product offering requires Bluetooth, but other Open-Lit products use Wi-Fi. No hub connection is required. Strip light kits are the most common product we carry with Open-Lit. 

Tuya 

Tuya is a global company increasing the accessibility of smart systems and supports almost 3,000 products, including lighting, cameras, sensors, and locks. Tuya offers two different smart apps: Smart Life and Tuya Smart. The main difference is the intended consumer. Smart Life is more simplified and targeted at residential clients. The Tuya Smart app is elaborate and better suited for businesses with extensive lighting needs. However, all Tuya compatible products we carry work with both apps. 

Both apps work with Amazon Alexa and Google Home and should be connected to either Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi Gateway, with specific products requiring hub connectivity.  Both Tuya apps work for various indoor and outdoor light fixtures. Common products with Tuya accessibility include landscape lights, smart bulbs, in-ground well lights, strip lights, and downlights. 

Some of our Tuya compatible lights also work with MiBoxer. 

The graphic below shows a close-up comparison of the different apps and their features. 

This is related to the products we offer. The relationships between the apps and whether they're compatible with the ecosystems may vary for other situations. 

Benefits of Using Smart Apps for Lighting

Simultaneous Control 

Using smart apps allows you to control multiple fixtures at once. Once integrated with smart apps, certain lights can be controlled by voice. Instructions such as “turn the lights on” or “change the color of my strip lights to red” are easy and hands-free. 

Customizability

You won’t always want the same CCT in your home. A cool white CCT is nice when cooking or reading, but at night, when relaxing, a warmer CCT is ideal. Outdoors, customize the color of the lights to celebrate holidays. Set your lights to red or green during Christmas or orange and purple for Halloween.

Scheduling

Set up scheduling through the smart app to power lights on and off at designated times. For daily convenience, set the lights to slowly brighten in the morning and dim in the evening. Scheduling lights to dim and power off saves energy, reducing electricity costs. 

Music Syncing

Use smart apps to connect your lights to music. Music can sync through multiple lights connected to the same system. This feature is common with LED strip lights. 

Read this blog to learn how to connect your strip lights to music. 

Security

Smart lighting increases security when you’re going out of town. If the app connects through Wi-Fi, use the smart app to turn the lights on periodically to mimic someone being home. Without smart lights, you either have to leave lights off, increasing security risks, or leave a light on the entire time, wasting energy. 

Smart Ecosystems 

Using smart apps creates ease and seamless control. If you already have smart technologies in your home, installing smart lights, especially Matter-certified products, streamlines them together. For example, install smart lights with doorbell cameras for better security. 

Get Started 

Start using apps to operate smart lights and devices to increase automation, controllability, and customize your smart home. Shop our line of smart lights and controllers now.