RF embedded light bulbs shipments to grow in 2013

BANGALORE, INDIA: According to market research firm IMS Research, in 2013, RF-embedded light bulbs will emerge as many large manufacturers are planning to release new products using a range of wireless technologies. As per IMS Research, the shipments of RF embedded light bulbs and their associated remote controllers will be more than 6,00,000 in 2013. The figures are likely to grow upto 1.17 crore in 2017.

Most of these systems are expected to offer remote access through an app or cloud based service. This feature is available on current residential lighting control systems but these systems could be more expensive for most of the consumers. The RF-embedded light bulbs will be sold at a more consumer-friendly price level, leading to higher residential adoption.

"We have already seen excitement about these types of systems with the recent successful launch of the Insteon RF and Powerline LED bulb as well as Li-Fx system that managed to generate very significant investment in a few weeks; this shows the potential of this market. In addition to this, several tier-one lighting suppliers are planning to launch similar systems towards the end of 2012 and throughout 2013, which will bring such systems to the consumer market," said Phillip Maddocks, Analyst at IMS Research.

At present, most of the RF-embedded light bulb systems use a proprietary technology or use a proprietary 802.15.4 software stack. "Over the next few years, there will be the development of several ecosystems of devices using different technologies before a dominant standard emerges.

With the support and the interoperability available as part of the ZigBee Light Link protocol, IMS Research believes that by 2017, ZigBee will have emerged as the main wireless technology being used in these systems, accounting for 38 per cent of all RF-embedded bulbs and controllers shipped between 2010 and 2017," added Maddocks.