Get an old-school lantern with HomeKit smarts at 11% off on Prime Day

Philips Hue Outdoor Lantern
(Image credit: iMore)

The Prime Day sales may be finishing for another year, but there are still some great HomeKit devices up for grabs.  This surprising design from Philips is something we didn't expect to see though, and great if you're looking to add some retro charm to your modern HomeKit smart home.

The Philips Hue Lantern is discounted to just $151 on Amazon at the moment, a saving of almost $20. It works great with the Philips Hue Bridge, letting it work with wireless controls wherever there's an internet connection.

Using its Hue app from the App Store, you can also set routines to switch it on automatically, and program it to turn to certain colors. You can even sync it with music and games if you've decided to install the lantern inside your home somewhere.

But it's the design that's most special — almost a throwback to the ye olde lanterns that you have seen in Dickensian movies. It's modern tech with a nostalgic element, and if you can see it working around your home, it could be a great talking point.

Light up the porch in style

Philips Hue Lantern | $169.99$151.54 at Amazon 

Philips Hue Lantern | $169.99 $151.54 at Amazon 

While we recommend an electrician to make sure this plugs in as intended, you'll have the ability to control the light, create timers for when it's on and off, and tweak its color remotely. It certainly makes an impression compared to standard smart lighting.

Back to the Future

Philips Hue is one of the go-to brands in HomeKit lighting, alongside Nanoleaf. If you need some smart lights for your office or bedroom, or you've decided to overhaul the lighting across your home, Philips Hue is a safe bet to do this with.

Remember that a HomeKit hub and Philips Bridge will be needed for those smart devices to be controlled outside of your home, which is where a HomePod or an Apple TV comes in, which double up as HomeKit hubs.

With this lantern almost $20 off, it's a great saving for something that's most likely going to be sticking around for years, even decades to come.

As Prime Day deals are wrapping for another year, this price cut may not last long, so we advise you to snap this up for your home before someone else does.

Grab an Apple TV 4K HomeKit hub to go with it!

Daryl Baxter
Features Editor

Daryl is iMore's Features Editor, overseeing long-form and in-depth articles and op-eds. Daryl loves using his experience as both a journalist and Apple fan to tell stories about Apple's products and its community, from the apps we use everyday to the products that have been long forgotten in the Cupertino archives.

Previously Software & Downloads Writer at TechRadar, and Deputy Editor at StealthOptional, he's also written a book, 'The Making of Tomb Raider', which tells the story of the beginnings of Lara Croft and the series' early development. He's also written for many other publications including WIRED, MacFormat, Bloody Disgusting, VGC, GamesRadar, Nintendo Life, VRV Blog, The Loop Magazine, SUPER JUMP, Gizmodo, Film Stories, TopTenReviews, Miketendo64 and Daily Star.