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In 2023, market research firm Verified Market Research released the "Global Smart Lighting Market Size Forecast". Data shows that the market valuation in 2021 is US$11.55 billion, and it is expected that by 2030, the global smart lighting market size will reach US$21.16 billion, with a compound annual growth rate of 7.1%.

With the integration of technologies, especially the application of cutting-edge technologies such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and 5G, not only the functionality of the smart lighting system has been greatly enhanced, but also its reliability has been improved.

However, the smart lighting industry is also facing some challenges as it develops. First, the traditional framework of lighting design is mostly rooted in non-intelligent technology, and the design concept for scenario-based applications unique to smart lighting is still in its infancy and urgently needs in-depth exploration and practice. In addition, the ecological barriers between different companies have limited the interconnection between products and systems, affecting the user experience of smart lighting products.

Most consumers’ understanding of smart lighting is still at the stage of single product use, and they lack demand and awareness of the industry as a whole and scenario-based lighting, which may limit the conversion of potential consumers and further expansion of the market.

“The real development of lighting will tend towards scene ritualization because intelligence gives it the opportunity."During the 26th China Construction Expo (Guangzhou), in the 36Kr Future Home Interview Room, Gao Shengxia, General Manager of Simaguang Whole-House Smart Lighting, expressed the above views on the development ideas of smart lighting.

Gao Shengxia added: “The integration of smart technology has opened up a vast space for imagination for lighting. In the past, lighting adjustment was often limited by the constraints of manual switch operation. Now, with the support of intelligence, high-precision sensors can automatically sense the light demand, and people can also flexibly use remote controls, mobile phone applications and even simple voice control to make lighting adjustment as they wish.”

A simple sentence like "I'm tired today" will prompt the smart lighting system to respond quickly and adjust to a relaxing light mode. If you want to host a party at home, the lights can also be transformed into a vibrant entertainment mode according to your needs. The potential of smart lighting goes far beyond simple brightness adjustment. "

The pain point occurs after the consumer flips the switch

Although the market size is growing rapidly, from the consumer side, the technological development of whole-house smart lighting is much faster than consumers' awareness of the market. Most consumers are still at the stage of using single-product smart lighting. At the same time, the high price of customized services in the past has also led to low demand for scenario-based lighting among consumers.

Based on his long-term experience in the lighting industry, Gao Shengxia discovered that, at present, the pain points of user experience often appear after the moment the switch is pressed - there is a discrepancy between user expectations and the actual performance of the lighting system, which leads to a gap in overall satisfaction.

Gao Shengxia said:What consumers pursue is the scene beauty and atmosphere experience brought by pressing the switch, rather than just the simplicity and speed of operating the switch. They expect the lighting system to create a pleasing light environment, rather than just a momentary control experience.”

For consumers, smart lighting should give them the ability to control the atmosphere of the entire space, allowing residents to feel a sense of ownership. As the lights light up one by one according to people's expectations, the residents seem to be personally designing and leading every atmosphere of the space.

With the change of consumer demand, the smart home industry as a whole has undergone a relatively large transformation in 2023.It is the first year of smart lighting. ” Gao Shengxia shared,People are beginning to re-examine the true value of smart homes, no longer focusing solely on the appearance design of smart devices or the interactive experience of the user interface. Smart lighting has become the core of smart home systems due to its high frequency of use, rigid demand, and ability to serve every member of the family.

Nowadays, consumers have become more rational. They no longer blindly pursue low prices, but seek products that can bring real value. They hope that the products they buy are not only worth the money, but also improve their health and emotional experience.

The ritual sense of smart lighting is reflected in the fact that it has become an indispensable element in life, just like air and water. We pursue fresh and healthy air and clean water. Similarly, we also desire a healthy lighting environment instead of glare that is harmful to the eyes. Through smart technology, lights can automatically adjust brightness, color temperature and color to adapt to different scenes and activities.

Gao Shengxia believes that although the industry is still exploring the path to maturity, this exploration period is about to end. As consumers' health and emotional needs coincide, lighting will gradually become a rigid need to improve the quality of life. He said: "Although the epidemic has brought challenges, many companies have seen it as an opportunity to polish their products. The increase in whole-house smart pavilions and the emergence of new brands at the Construction Expo clearly demonstrate the direction of the industry's development."

Light that thinks about code

At this Construction Expo, the SMAC team and the Nordic design brand SACKit jointly built a "global lighting experience space" that combines interactive and immersive features. Superimposed with its original dynamic light-color light scenes, it also integrated Danish color matching aesthetics and industrial design aesthetics to create many scenes such as clouds, seaside sunsets, and aurora, which attracted the attention of the exhibitors and stood out among a number of smart and old lighting brands.

In 2023, CF Møller Architecture and CF Møller Architects jointly developed an original dynamic light formula inspired by the Nordic natural scenery after in-depth field research and several product communications. The latter was founded in 1924, and its works include LEGO® Campus and Carlsberg Central Office.

Light color, health, emotional value and Danish design are the core product labels of Sima Light.

Gao Shengxia introduced that before 2023, Sima Lighting focused on creating various single products, many of which became popular products on Xiaohongshu, such as cloud lamps and sunset lamps. He said, "These popular products are in line with our whole-house smart business. The reason why they are attractive is that we provide rich emotional value for the home environment through the dynamic changes of lights, making the space more pleasant and enhancing people's perception and understanding of light."

Gao Shengxia has accumulated rich work and life experience in Denmark, the design capital. "The natural scenery of Denmark is amazing. The clear sunshine, the beautiful clouds and the reflections of the lake and the sea have all inspired me deeply. I often wonder whether we can bring the outdoor natural scenery, such as the light and shadow of the clouds and the reflection of the lake, into our living space in addition to emphasizing the benefits of sunlight in our pursuit of a healthy indoor light environment, so that people can experience the beauty of nature at home."

Therefore, Simaguang tried to incorporate this concept into product design, hoping that the product would become a bridge connecting personal memories and natural beauty, and bring the beauty of the world home.

It is reported that Smilelight is a brand jointly invested and founded by MLS (002745.SZ), the world's second largest lighting company, Calex, Europe's top 3 smart home leader, and a team of experts who have been deeply involved in the lighting industry for many years.

In China, consumers in different regions share a common love for aesthetics and Nordic minimalist design, which makes the threshold for our products to be launched on the market low. Although everyone's understanding of beauty is slightly different, the pursuit of high-quality design is the same. Gao Shengxia said: "The world's top design is in Northern Europe, and the top Nordic design is in Denmark, which is at the forefront of the world in innovation in furniture, lighting and audio. We combine the essence of Danish design with China's smart manufacturing, so that consumers can experience the real Danish style and smart products."

He added: "Many people think that niche-style products are more expensive, but in fact, through our own production lines and 20,000 square meters of production base, we are able to achieve cost control and provide cost-effective Nordic lamps. We believe that the future of smart home will definitely take the path of combining production and sales, which means that our brand and production are integrated. In the future, it will be difficult to incubate a brand that people trust by simply doing branding or production. The future idea must be to combine production and sales."

At the end of 2019, under the background of the country encouraging entrepreneurship of small and medium-sized enterprises, Simaguang established its own factory, focusing on high-end ODM business in Northern Europe and Central Europe, and developing and producing smart lighting products for top international brands.

As for why they transformed from OEM to establishing a brand, Gao Shengxia said: "China's manufacturing industry and industrialists all have a dream, that is, to no longer just be OEM for overseas brands, but to create their own brands. Through the accumulation of OEM business for overseas brands, we hope to invest these original accumulations in Chinese brands. When our brand is good enough, we hope that the products exported overseas will no longer be OEM products, but products with our own Chinese brands."

Gao Shengxia said that the name "Sima Light" represents "light that thinks about code". Code symbolizes intelligence and AI active push, while the essence of light is health and emotional value. We hope to integrate the concept of "light that thinks about code" into our home environment.

36Kr Author | Song Hongshan