About the Project

Gemstone Lights, a leader in smart lighting solutions for residential and commercial buildings, was facing several technological and operational challenges that limited its growth. Reliance on an external firmware vendor, legacy mobile applications with high maintenance requirements, and a need for improved user experience and advanced features were key obstacles. To address these issues, Gemstone Lights engaged a software development partner to modernize their technology and streamline operations. This case study examines the approach taken and the resulting transformation in their systems and processes.

Challenges to overcome.

• 📱 Legacy Mobile Applications: Separate Android and iOS apps were costly to maintain and slowed down feature development.

• 💡 Limited User Experience: The existing apps lacked modern design and functionality, restricting advanced features and seamless interaction.

• 🔧 External Firmware Dependency: Reliance on a third-party firmware vendor constrained the ability to innovate and control the product roadmap.

• 📊 Device Insights and Analytics: Limited visibility into device performance and usage made it difficult to track dealer requests and optimize support.

Core Objective: Bring all software and firmware development in-house—eliminating external dependencies—while maintaining only manufacturing externally, to gain full control over the product ecosystem and accelerate innovation.

Result driven, Agile apporach.

Gemstone Lights’ transformation focused on consolidating and modernizing their mobile applications while bringing critical development in-house:

• 👨‍💻 Stabilizing the Core: The project began with a small development team addressing immediate issues in the existing apps to ensure stability for both customers and dealers.

• 🔄 Full Migration to Flutter: Both Android and iOS apps were rebuilt on a single Flutter codebase, streamlining maintenance, improving performance, and enabling faster feature rollout.

• ✨ Complete UI Redesign: The apps were given a modern, intuitive interface with seamless navigation, improving user engagement and accessibility.

• 🔧 In-House Firmware Development: All firmware development was internalized, removing external dependencies and giving full control over device capabilities.

• 📊 Enhanced Device Insights: Advanced analytics and tracking were implemented to monitor device performance, dealer requests, and customer interactions, improving operational efficiency.

• 🎨 UX & Marketing Support: A graphics designer was later added to refine visual assets and marketing materials, enhancing the overall experience.