C by GE is getting a new name and going beyond smart lights

C by GE is getting a new name and going beyond smart lightsCync Indoor CameraPhoto: Cync

C by GE is starting to see some big changes. The smart lighting brand is getting a new name, Cync, and it’s expanding 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’s meant 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 venture beyond smart plugs, lights, and lighting accessories.

The Cync Indoor Camera can record footage to the cloud or to an SD card, and the camera has a built-in privacy shutter that can cover up the lens. The outdoor plug launches in March, followed by the camera in May and the fan switch in June. Pricing hasn’t 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 with lightbulbs that could be controlled from a phone over Bluetooth. They were a simple option for anyone who wanted to try a smart bulb without investing too much, since top competing options required pricey hubs at the time.

Since then, the product line hasn’t changed dramatically — it now offers products that support Wi-Fi, there are more lighting options, and there are a handful of switches and plugs. The line’s transformation into Cync seems like the first step toward making the brand into something bigger.