Up to this point, smart home brand Nanoleaf has primarily focused on indoor lighting, but in 2024, it’ll be going outside for the first time with its new Essential Matter series.
The line will consist of three models, with two being the Smart Multicolor Outdoor String Lights and the Smart Multicolor Permanent Outdoor Lights. The former, as the name suggests, are string lights that can go in your backyard or on a balcony to help create mood lighting. The Permanent Lights are individual fixtures that appear to be meant for hard-to-reach areas on a house, like the soffit of a roof or right above a window.
The pair can be controlled either through a Matter hub device or the official Nanoleaf app. On there, users can change the color of lights as well as activate one of the thousands of “preset lighting Scenes”.
The aforementioned Matter hub can also be used to set Schedules to automate your lighting arrays, allowing the lights to turn on by themselves. The third model in the series is the Smart Multicolor Lightstrip, which is meant for indoors. It has all the same features as the outdoor options.
The Nanoleaf Essential Matter series will launch sometime in Spring 2024. A specific launch date has not been given.
Visualizing music
Nanoleaf’s 2024 plans don’t stop there as it will be releasing some very interesting products down the line.
Case in point, we have Orchestrator, a new type of software that will connect audio coming from a computer to your smart lights for a “real-time audio-visual experience.” This means the lights will pulse in accordance to music tracks. Slow beats, for example, will result in gentler shows while energetic beats will have your fixtures pulsating vibrantly.
Tech like this already exists, however, Nanoleaf claims its take on the software will be more accurate than its rivals. Nanoleaf states “existing music visualizers” pick up on sound in a space instead of being tied directly to a source, seemingly implying that the rivals are less accurate.
Orchestrator will launch in Spring 2024 too where it’ll be compatible with the Nanoleaf Desktop App, audio players, and music streaming platforms.
Customizable skylight
Rounding out the list is the Nanoleaf Skylight, the company’s first modular ceiling light. The device offers soft natural lighting and, just like the Essential Matter series, it can change color on the fly. It comes in the shape of a square measuring 300 x 300mm and emits “1,400 lumens of light". Nanoleaf states the fixture has a lifespan of 25,000 hours, which is nearly three years, so it'll last you a good while.
Other notable features include Rhythm Music Visualizer, Schedules, and Magic Scenes. The Skylight is available for pre-order in a Smarter Kit on Nanoleaf’s website. It retails for $250 and comes three to a pack. You can also buy a single fixture with the Expansion Pack for $70. They will ship out late January 2024.
While we have you, be sure to check out TechRadar's list of the best smart lights for 2024.
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