What you need to know
- Savant's C by GE smart home brand is now Cync.
- Name change comes with a new app experience, and three new smart home accessories.
- First Cync smart accessory will be available in March.
Even though CES 2021 doesn't officially kick off until next week, Savant Systems is getting the party started early by announcing several major changes to the C by GE smart home line. Significant changes include a rebrand to Cync, a new mobile app that is coming later this year, and several new smart home accessories.
"This is going to be a truly exciting year as we continue to launch innovations that will make the benefits of the smart home more accessible, easy to install and control through one simple app experience," says Paul Williams, General Manager of Product Management & Growth, GE Lighting, a Savant company. "It's an ideal time to evolve our C by GE™ brand into Cync™, a new brand that best reflects how all of our smart home solutions connect easily and work together seamlessly for a complete smart home experience that can be customized to the lifestyle of every consumer."
Following the acquisition of GE Lighting — which includes the C by GE line last year, the rebrand to Cync streamlines and simplifies things for consumers, and opens the doors for additional accessory categories for Savant. Savant plans to expand the existing product line with several new smart home accessories outside of the world of lighting controls, including an indoor camera, outdoor smart plug, and a fan switch.
While neither of the new Cync products are revolutionary for their respective category, Savant's offerings feature some key differences that sets them apart from the competition. For instance, the Cync Indoor Smart Camera includes a unique privacy shutter that physically blocks the lens on-demand, as well as shutting off audio for complete privacy. The camera can also operate independent from the cloud, with an on-board microSD cart slot that keeps everything local, and of course, for those that just want to set it and forget it, a subscription service is also available.
The Cync Outdoor Smart Plug sports two connected outlets in a weather-resistant design that can power outdoor decor and more all year long. The outdoor plug provides two hub-free connectivity options — Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, so users can get it up and running on their home networks or directly on their mobile devices in minutes. Once connected, the two outlets can be controlled independently through app and voice controls through integration with Alexa and the Google Assistant.
Finally, the Cync Fan Speed Smart Switch is an in-wall solution for ceiling fans that allows owners to choose from four different speeds without having to leave the comforts of the couch. In additional to on-demand controls, schedules can be created for customized comfort throughout the day, and the switch also can be grouped with other Cync accessories for potential automation.
Alongside the new name and accessories, Savant is also introducing a revamped mobile app that promises a user-friendly design, more personalized lighting controls, and some slick new features. Through the new app users will be able to experience a new TrueImage feature that enables a preview of lighting conditions and colors in the home using photos captured by mobile devices and the updated app will also serve as a way to control existing C by GE accessories, so that nobody is left behind with the changes.
Savant's Cync rollout will begin in March with the aforementioned mobile app, and with the launch of the Outdoor Smart Plug. The Cync Indoor Smart Camera will follow in May, with the Fan Speed Smart Switch slated for a June release, although exact dates and pricing have not yet been revealed. Additional details surrounding all of the latest products can be found at gelighting.com.
