Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics have jumped into the smart lightbulb market. This time, LG seems to be ahead of its rival Samsung, industry sources said.

LG Electronics has reportedly completed development of the technology for a smart bulb and is working on the release date.

“The lightbulb will sport Bluetooth 4.0,” an LG official said. “We are waiting until more phones feature Bluetooth 4.0 next year.”

Unlike Bluetooth 3.0, which most phones available now have, the 4.0 version is a short-range wireless standard suitable for a smart lightbulb. Industry sources said that Samsung and LG would release new phones sporting Bluetooth 4.0 early next year.

Samsung Electronics is also planning to roll out a smart lightbulb. However, the official said the release date was not certain.

“They are being developed now but we are not sure when they will go on sale. We are expecting them no later than 2015.”

Samsung introduced its concept smart bulb at the consumer electronics show IFA in September. But the company said it was too early to talk about mass production now as they were only concept products.

Samsung has reportedly adopted Zigbee as its wireless standard. Its data speed is slower than Bluetooth and Wi-Fi but it consumes less power and has more applicable products.

Smart lightbulbs rank among smartphone app-controlled home appliances. Both companies are expecting to expand the device’s technology into other home appliances like refrigerators, televisions, and washing machines.

Amsterdam-based Philips currently has the lead in the smart home industry, first rolling out a smart lightbulb, called “HUE,” which is capable of turning on and off and having its brightness adjusted via smartphone.

By Shin Ji-hye (shinjh@heraldcorp.com)