Latest news with #HueBlog
Forbes
5 hours ago
- Forbes
Philips Hue's Long-Awaited Next-Gen Bridge Leaks: Massive Smart Home Upgrade Incoming
Signify hasn't updated the Philips Hue bridge in almost a decade, but the wait for a serious upgrade looks to be nearly over and, thanks to a series of leaks, we've got a pretty clear picture of what's coming. The Hue Bridge Pro popped up on Hue's own website last week, before the page was swiftly yanked, but not before the guys at HueBlog grabbed the details. To make matters even messier for Signify, someone in the US actually received the new hub as a Lowes tester and posted photos on Reddit, essentially confirming the leak weeks before the official launch, which will presumably be over Berlin at IFA next month. The current Hue Bridge (2nd generation) has been the brains of the smart light system since 2015, and while it works, its limits are being stretched in homes with lots of Hue lights and gadgets, as it tops out at 50 lights and 12 accessories. Its setup also still requires a hardwired Ethernet connection to your router. The new Bridge Pro looks set to fix all that. According to HueBlog's reporting, it's packing a quad-core Cortex processor at 1.7GHz with 8GB of RAM; a laughably huge jump over the paltry 16MB in the existing bridge. That translates to a promised five-times faster response time, support for 150 lights, 50 accessories, and up to 500 scenes. Power comes via USB-C now, and Wi-Fi connectivity means you won't have to tether it to your router anymore (though Ethernet is still an option). But the real headline feature is something Hue is calling MotionAware. Using the Bridge Pro and at least three Hue bulbs in a room, the system can apparently detect motion without needing dedicated sensors. It's not totally clear yet how this tech works, but it may be based on Ivani's Sensify platform, which turns mains-powered Zigbee devices into motion detectors. Hue's sister brand WiZ has been doing similar things with Wi-Fi bulbs, so this could finally bring that capability to Hue's Zigbee ecosystem. The bridge isn't launching alone. Hue also has a wired 2K video doorbell coming, plus a new generation of bulbs and outdoor lighting. The updated A19/E26 bulb is more energy-efficient, sipping 40 percent less power and dimming down to a subtle 0.2 percent. It also supports Hue's ChromaSync tech for tighter color matching across different fixtures. That same gradient magic will feature in a new family of indoor/outdoor light strips. Hue is also said to be expanding its Festavia range with permanent outdoor lights meant to line your house and some rather stylish globe string lights with customizable gradient effects. On the software side, Hue is also about to play nice with Sonos Voice Control. You'll be able to ask your Sonos speakers to dim the lights, set scenes, or shift colors. It's not Alexa or Siri-level flexibility, but all the commands run locally, which should appeal to privacy-minded users. As mentioned, Signify is set to officially unveil all this in Berlin at IFA 2025 early next month. There's no word yet on what the Bridge Pro will cost, but given Hue's track record, expect a premium price tag to match the premium specs. Hue users have been crying out for a hub that can keep up with growing smart home setups. If MotionAware delivers on the promise of lights that double as sensors, the Bridge Pro could be the biggest Hue upgrade since it first went live back in 2012.
The Verge
4 days ago
- Business
- The Verge
Philips Hue's new bridge could turn your lights into motion sensors
Smart lighting company Philips Hue appears to be launching a new version of its bridge, the first in a decade. According to a product page briefly published on Hue's website and since removed, the Hue Bridge Pro will be faster, have more capacity, and can 'turn your smart lights into motion sensors.' A Hue video doorbell, new outdoor lighting, and a more energy-efficient A19 light bulb are also on the way. The page, which was first spotted by HueBlog, outlined all the new products but revealed no specs or prices. Signify, Hue's parent company, is hosting a press event in Berlin next month, ahead of the IFA tech trade show, where we expect full details. The standout news is the bridge's new motion-sensing capability. Details are scarce, but the description mentions 'built-in MotionAware technology.' Wi-Fi motion sensing technology has been around for years — Hue's sister company Wiz uses it in its Wi-Fi bulbs — but Hue lights work over Zigbee, not Wi-Fi. In January, a company called Ivani debuted its Sensify wireless sensing technology, which can turn mains-powered Zigbee devices (like light bulbs) into motion sensors with a firmware update. At the time, Ivani co-founder Justin McKinney told The Verge the company was working with 'large household names poised to deploy the technology very soon.' It's possible one of those companies is Hue, and that Sensify's tech is powering the upgrade that could let your existing Hue bulbs and accessories act as motion sensors. This would make them capable of automatically adjusting your lights as you move through the house without the need for standalone motion sensors. The bridge will also have 'advanced AI features,' likely tied to Hue's new AI lighting assistant. According to additional reporting by HueBlog, the Bridge Pro will feature a faster processor, more RAM, the addition of Wi-Fi connectivity so you don't have to plug it in to your router, and support for up to 150 bulbs and 50 accessories — more than triple the current bridge's capability. In addition to the bridge, Hue is preparing a new wired video doorbell, first leaked in March. A new image shows a design reminiscent of the second-gen August doorbell. The Hue website noted it will stream in 2K, an upgrade from the 1080p on Hue's 2023 security cameras. Another confirmed rumor: Hue lights will soon be controlled by Sonos' voice assistant. According to the page, you'll be able to tell Sonos speakers to turn Hue lights on and off, dim or brighten, change their colors, or select a light scene. While Sonos Voice Control is more limited than Alexa or Siri, all commands are processed locally. Of course, there are new lights coming, too. The page reveals a new, more energy-efficient E26/A19 60-watt smart bulb that uses 40 percent less energy and dims as low as 0.2. percent. It supports Hue's ChromaSync tech for more precise color matching when syncing across fixtures — a feature also coming to a new 'family of indoor and outdoor light strips' with gradient lighting. Two new Festavia-branded outdoor lights are on the way: a set of permanent outdoor lights designed to be fixed to the outside of your house, similar to those offered by Govee and Nanoleaf, and a set of Globe String lights. The globe lights look particularly attractive, with each bulb featuring a 'distinctive inner tube' that can be customized with light gradients, colors, and special effects. It's an impressive lineup, but the upgraded bridge with motion-sensing technology is the standout. Not only should it strengthen Hue's lighting system and support more devices, it could eliminate the need for dedicated motion sensors altogether. I'll be in Berlin next month for IFA to see the official launch and get hands-on with these new products. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All News Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Smart Home Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Tech
Android Authority
24-06-2025
- Business
- Android Authority
You've got one week to stock up on Philips Hue gear before a tariff-fueled price hike
We'd usually advise most shoppers to wait until Prime Day to get the best prices on tech, but smart home buyers in the US may want to consider stocking up in the next week. Philips Hue devices are already on the costly side, but it has now been confirmed that prices will increase from July 1. The unsurprising reason is the impact of US tariffs. After alluding to the price hike in a marketing email, Hue's parent company, Signify, confirmed the increases in a statement to HueBlog. No further details about the scale of the increases have yet been revealed, but the company also spelled out that it wouldn't necessarily be the last tariff-related price adjustment. ''Signify will increase prices on our Philips Hue portfolio in the US, effective July 1, 2025, as a direct result of tariffs. We remain committed to providing consumers with high-quality products and features that make smart lighting extraordinary,' — Signify statement As bad as this news is for smart home fans, it's an incentive for those looking to bolster their smart home setup to act quickly. While the official Hue store will show the price changes from the first day of July, it may take a bit longer for the increases to filter through to retail stores, so it's worth shopping around if you're late to the news.
The Verge
23-06-2025
- The Verge
Hue's new smart button is bigger and more expensive
Smart lighting company Hue has released a new version of its Smart Button, one of the simplest ways of controlling Hue's colorful smart lights. The new Smart Button has a bigger design and a bit of price hike — in the U.S., at least, where it now costs $32.99 compared to $29.99 for its predecessor. That's significantly more than the UK and EU pricing for the new button — £19.99 and €21.99 respectively — possibly a sign of things to come. The new button is available now directly from Hue's site. A Zigbee device, the Hue button can be programmed to control any single or group of Hue light bulbs and fixtures through the Hue app. According to Philips Hue's website, the button 'allows you to trigger scenes based on time of day, or cycle through a selection. Press and hold to dim and brighten your lights, or even set it to start an automation.' This is the same functionality as the prior model, meaning all that appears to have changed is the design and the price. The new button is almost twice the size, with a 45mm diameter (about 1.8 inches) versus 32mm (about 1.3 inches). It's now more angular and flatter, versus the more bulbous style of the prior model. It also doesn't come with a large plastic wall plate that resembles a standard light switch – handy for people who are used to using regular switches. Instead, it only comes with a small metal plate to magnetically attach the button to the wall, according to HueBlog's hands-on with the button. The Hue button uses the same CR2032 battery, which, according to Hue, should last for two years. HueBlog called out the battery for being a lot easier to replace on this new button than on the previous one. As it works over Zigbee, the button requires a Hue Bridge and is compatible with Matter-supported platforms through the bridge (as its predecessor was). This includes Apple Home, where it shows as a single-press button. I reviewed the first generation of the button when it launched in 2019 for $24.99, and it's long been one of my favorite easy ways to control Hue lights. An update in 2023 added more control options, including the ability to cycle through Hue's natural light scenes based on time of day, so you could get the right type of tunable white light for the time of day with just one press. I like the idea of a slightly larger design, which could be easier to use, but the fact that it's more expensive in the States than in the EU and UK is a worrying sign. Hue is already one of the most expensive smart lighting brands, and based on an email the company sent to users earlier this month, it may be getting even more expensive — at least for those of us on this side of the pond. According to the promotional message I got on June 9th, Hue's 'prices go up on July 1.' The note about the price increase appears to have only been sent to US customers, indicating the increase may be due to Trump's tariffs. We've reached out to Signify (Philips Hue's parent company) to confirm and to find out which products will be affected.
