Belkin Partners with Cree to Bring WeMo Support to Connected Cree Bulb

Belkin today announced that it's partnering with lighting company Cree to add the Connected Cree lightbulb to the Belkin WeMo connected-home ecosystem. In the summer of 2015, Connected Cree bulbs will be compatible with the ZigBee-to-WiFi WeMo Link bridge and will be able to be controlled with the WeMo app that's used to control all of Belkin's WeMo devices.

The Connected Cree bulb's integration into the WeMo system will allow it to work with several of Belkin's other WeMo products through the WeMo app, including the WeMo Light Switch, the WeMo Insight Switch, the WeMo Maker, WeMo's Smart LED bulbs, and the NetCam HD+.

Integrating fully with the WeMo ecosystem will allow Cree customers to easily create a fully integrated smart home customized to their needs and schedule. For example, the NetCam HD+ can act as a motion sensor to automatically turn on the bulbs as soon as motion is triggered by opening the door or just walking into the room.

Using the WeMo app and Cree bulbs, users can create a variety of rules and actions that make home life easier and more comfortable.

Cree's Connected Cree bulb is one of the more affordable smart bulbs available on the market and can be purchased for $15 from Home Depot. Introduced in January of this year, the bulb is compatible with Wink and ZigBee platforms thanks to the addition of a Cree4Flow Filament, and it integrates with SmartThings and the Philips hue lighting system in addition to its new WeMo integration. The 60-watt 2,700K single-color bulbs have a brightness of 815 lumens and use 11.5 watts of power.

Belkin's also announcing an updated WeMo app with IFTTT support for its WeMo LED bulbs and WeMo-enabled lighting solutions from Osram Sylvania, allowing its lightbulbs to be incorporated into various IFTTT recipes. The new app should be available this week.

Belkin has also lowered the price of its WeMo LED Starter Set to $49.99 and dropped the price of a single WeMo Smart LED bulb to $24.99.