Signify Launches New Philips Hue Smart Plug and Smart Button

Thursday September 5, 2019 12:02 AM PDT by Juli Clover
Signify today announced several new Philips Hue branded products, adding to its available line of Hue bulbs and devic

The Philips Hue Smart Plug, priced at $39.99, is designed to turn lamps that aren't compatible with Hue bulbs into smart lamps able to be controlled via the Philips Hue app and HomeKit.


You can plug any table lamp, floor lamp, or other device into the Smart plug to add it to your Philips Hue setup. The Smart Plug can be switched on or off using the Hue app or ‌HomeKit‌ controls.

A new Philips Hue Smart Button, priced at $19.99, gives you a physical control option for your Philips Hue lights. You can assign a single press to activate whichever lights you want to control, and a press and a hold can brighten or dim the lights.


Paired with the Philips Hue Bridge, the button can be configured to do things like turning your lights to a preset shade of white and a brightness level that suits the time of day.

In the morning, a press of the Smart Button will turn the lights to cool, energizing shades of white, and in the evening, a button press will trigger warmer, dimmer light settings.


The Smart Button features a magnetic backing and an adhesive mini mount so you can put it wherever it's most useful.

Signify is debuting a new Bluetooth version of the Philips Hue Go portable lamp ($79.99), which can be used on its own with the Philips Hue Bluetooth app or added to any standard Philips Hue setup. The new Hue Go option is similar to the existing Hue Go, but with a longer battery life.


There are also new Bluetooth-enabled versions of the GU10 White and Color Ambiance and White Ambiance bulbs that can be used without a hub over Bluetooth, plus they feature higher lumen output, a new design, and richer colors.

The last new product is a Philips Hue White E12 candle bulb, ideal for ceiling fans, chandeliers, and other similar lights. The new E12 candle bulbs work over Bluetooth or with a Hue Bridge.

The Smart Plug and Smart Button will be launching in October, while the new Hue Go is coming in November. The GU10 spotlights and the E12 candle bulbs will be available starting in September. More info on the new products can be found on the Hue website.

Tags: HomeKit Guide, Philips Hue
24 comments

Top Rated Comments

(View all)
Avatar
zunamo
6 weeks ago
Id also like to see a smart switch that can replace an existing switch by connecting to the wires. My kitchen has many built-in spots, would be too expensive to replace them all.
Rating: 6 Votes
Avatar
JiJo
6 weeks ago

They seem to do everything but what customers really want.


Nope. They do everything I want, and more.
Rating: 3 Votes
Avatar
bbednarz
6 weeks ago

So you don’t want a wired wall switch to replace the ones in your home? Surely you do.

The button is cool and all, can make an android and put it somewhere cool but a wired wall switch is what so many really want. Stop lying, you want one ;)

Connect the wires to remove the switch. Put one of these in its place. Half the price of Lutron's version that connects to the switch and uses 'dumb' bulbs. The way Hue bulbs are designed it wouldn't make sense for them to use a standard wall switch.

edit: I dont mean for this to be a knock on Lutron. I have a Lutron switch and use their fan control for 2 of my ceiling fans. Works very well.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/philips-hue-wireless-dimmer-switch-with-remote-white/4373904.p?skuId=4373904
[doublepost=1567685920][/doublepost]

I expect that these will be limited to controlling Hue devices instead of being a generic HomeKit compatible button. Hue is great for many of my rooms, but for larger banks of lights I use Lutron switches.
With a HomeKit switch, I can control mix configurations of lights. But my Hue Dimmers and Taps are limited to Hue lights.

Have you tried setting up the dimmer and tap in HomeKit? I have mine assigned to control all sorts of different scenes and devices. I setup a Tap switch for my girlfriend so when she goes to sleep she pushes the button and my 'good night' scene activates which has locks, fans, and lights all involved.
Rating: 3 Votes
Avatar
H3LL5P4WN
6 weeks ago

I agree, just wish they were about half the price.


Yeah, the price of a smart plug really ought to be about $20 if manufacturers want to make them ubiquitous. Honestly though, the Hue option is only $10 more than the iHome ones I have now, and they're much less obtrusive looking.
Rating: 1 Votes
Avatar
err404
6 weeks ago

Have you tried setting up the dimmer and tap in HomeKit? I have mine assigned to control all sorts of different scenes and devices. I setup a Tap switch for my girlfriend so when she goes to sleep she pushes the button and my 'good night' scene activates which has locks, fans, and lights all involved.

Interesting. It has been almost a year (early iOS 12) since I last tried. At that time the switches showed up in HomeKit, but when I tried to set them up, it told me that the they needed to be configured through the Hue app. This stopped me from combining devices outside of the Hue ecosystem.
This no longer seems that the case! They seem to be able to control any HomeKit device now. I will test this more tonight. Thanks for the heads up!
Rating: 1 Votes
[ Read All Comments ]