A new ceiling light pair moves to Thread
- Yeelight is preparing to launch the Smart Ceiling Light S1 in 320mm and 450mm sizes.
- Both use Matter over Thread instead of Wi-Fi, so they need a Matter controller and a Thread border router.
- No price and no firm release date have been announced. Both are listed as coming soon.
Yeelight is getting ready to release its first ceiling lights built on Matter over Thread, a pair called the Smart Ceiling Light S1. The two sizes are 320mm and 450mm, and both have already received Matter certification from the Connectivity Standards Alliance, which confirms the Thread approach (opens in a new tab).
That shift matters for anyone who has been avoiding brand-specific hubs. The S1 lights work with the major Matter platforms, including Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home and Samsung SmartThings, all listed as supported in promotional material. As Thread devices they still need a Matter controller and a Thread border router, but not a dedicated Yeelight hub. Apple Home users can cover that with a HomePod mini or a compatible Apple TV 4K. Bluetooth handles the initial Matter commissioning.
The certification lists support for Matter 1.4.2 along with Thread and Bluetooth connectivity.
Two light sources and what each size puts out
Each S1 fixture carries two separate light sources. A downward-facing main light handles ordinary room lighting with adjustable brightness and color temperature, while an RGB ambient light throws colored light from the upper part of the fixture onto the ceiling around it. According to Yeelight's specifications for the S1 450, the main light spans 2700 to 6500K and the RGB ambient lighting can reproduce up to 16 million colors.
The certification indicates the two sources are separately controllable through Matter. The main light exposes on, off, brightness and color temperature, and the RGB ambient light has its own on, off, brightness and color controls. How each platform will present the two sources, Apple Home included, is not yet clear.
On output, the smaller S1 320 is rated at 23W and reaches up to 1,900 lumens. The S1 450 measures 450mm across and 95mm deep, has a 50W power rating and reaches up to 4,000 lumens. It also adds a 2-lumen Moonlight Mode for very low-level illumination, and it is designed for 200 to 240V, 50 to 60Hz supplies.
What to sort out before you buy
The S1 models are a change from Yeelight's earlier Wi-Fi ceiling lights, and the Thread requirement is the main thing to check at home.
Yeelight lists app support, but the features available only through that app remain unclear.
Promotional material for the S1 450 mentions that a hub is required. Because the light runs Matter over Thread, that refers to a compatible Matter controller and Thread border router rather than a Yeelight hub.