Skip to main content

iDevices’ new smart light switch isn’t just controlled by Alexa — it has Alexa built in

iDevices’ new smart light switch isn’t just controlled by Alexa — it has Alexa built in

/

A smart lightswitch or a smartlight switch?

Share this story

Image: iDevices

Smart light switches that can be controlled through Alexa or Google Assistant are nothing new, but the iDevices Instinct takes things a step further: it actually has Alexa built in, turning the switch itself into a miniature Amazon Echo, complete with an integrated speaker.

So yes, you can use Alexa to turn your light switch on and off, directly from the light switch. But the built-in Alexa also means you can get the news, check the weather, or search for recipes, too. There’s even a glowing blue LED ring that will pop up when you activate Alexa, just like on an Echo device. The Instinct lets you live in the kind of futuristic world that science fiction could only dream of, one where you can ask your light switch to play the new Taylor Swift album.

You can ask your light switch to play the latest Taylor Swift album

In addition to the onboard Alexa assistant, the Instinct can be controlled through Google Assistant, Siri, the iDevices app, and of course, other Amazon Alexa products like the Echo — just like iDevices’ other smart light switches. Plus, if all that is too fancy, the Instinct also packs an ambient light sensor and a motion detector to automatically turn on your lights.

Image: iDevices

The iDevices Instinct isn’t the first smart light switch that is also a smart speaker: GE announced a similar (if more subtle) version of the same idea last week, with both Alexa and Google Assistant.

The iDevices Instinct is set to launch sometime in 2018. No concrete price or release date has been announced yet.