Philips Hue Line Gains New HomeKit-Compatible Lights and Accessories

Philips Hue manufacturer Signify today announced the launch of several new HomeKit-enabled lights and a new smart switch. Some of the new lights are available starting today, while others will launch later this summer.

hue table lamp
The new Philips Hue Go portable table lamp is battery powered and can be used either indoors or outdoors. The lamp, which is an upgrade to the existing Hue Go, features a silicone grip, so it's simple to carry it where you need light, and the battery lasts for up to 48 hours before it needs to be recharged with the included charging base. There are built-in preset scenes that you can cycle through without using the app.

Signify is releasing the Philips Hue Signe lamp in a new oak option, and there are new generations of the Hue White and Color Ambiance downlight (supports multiple colors) and the White Ambiance downlight (white only). The White and Color downlight has a lumen output up to 1100, while the White downlight offers up to 850 lumens. There are also now two sizes of smart recessed lights, and they are available in multipacks for the first time.

hue signe
The Hue app has been updated with a new Sunrise wake-up style, which is able to mimic the sun appearing over the horizon, transitioning from blue to soft orange light. New Hue users can download the app and choose the Demo mode in the app to explore how to best take advantage of Hue lights.

hue sunrise app
To complement the Hue lights, the Philips Hue line is gaining a new Tap dial switch that is equipped with four buttons. Each button can be set to control smart lights in up to three separate rooms or zones around the home, and users can tap a button to choose or adjust any light scene. The dial includes built-in dimming control, and it can be purchased in black or white.

hue tap switch
The Philips Hue Go is set to be available at the end of summer for $160, while the Hue Signe lamp in oak will be available in mid-July for $350. The Hue White and Color ambiance downlight is priced at $60, and the White ambiance downlight is available for $50, starting today. The Hue tap dial switch is also available today for $50.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Plus Feature

iPhone 17 Lineup Specs Detail Display Upgrade and New High-End Model

Monday July 22, 2024 4:33 am PDT by
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Production Will Reportedly Begin Ramping Up in October

Tuesday July 23, 2024 2:00 pm PDT by
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
Generic iPhone 17 Feature With Full Width Dynamic Island

Kuo: Ultra-Thin iPhone 17 to Feature A19 Chip, Single Rear Camera, Semi-Titanium Frame, and More

Wednesday July 24, 2024 9:06 am PDT by
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature Purple

These 5 Features Will Make the iPhone 17 the Biggest Update in Years

Monday July 22, 2024 4:02 pm PDT by
The upcoming iPhone 16 models that we're expecting to see in September are going to be quite similar to the iPhone 15 models, but rumors suggest that Apple is making big changes in 2025. We've been hearing hints of an all-new device in the iPhone lineup, and it may be the most expensive iPhone Apple has offered to date. New 'Slim' Design Rumors have taken to referring to the new iPhone 17...
iOS 18 on iPhone Feature

Everything New in iOS 18 Beta 4

Tuesday July 23, 2024 1:08 pm PDT by
Apple released the fourth beta of iOS 18 today, introducing small changes to a number of features throughout the operating system. There are no big additions in this beta, but Apple is continuing to refine existing settings and design choices. Apple plans to continue updating iOS 18 over the next few months, with the update set to be released this fall. We've rounded up all of the changes...
iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 Rumored to Launch Early Next Year With OLED Display, 48MP Camera, and More

Monday July 22, 2024 7:22 am PDT by
The fourth-generation iPhone SE will offer a series of major upgrades over the current model, the leaker known as "Ice Universe" claims. The information was listed in a post on Weibo, which also detailed the specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup. As previously rumored, the fourth-generation iPhone SE is expected to feature Face ID and USB-C, marking a major upgrade from current and previous ...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature Purple

iPhone 17 Rumored to Feature Mechanical Aperture

Tuesday July 23, 2024 9:32 am PDT by
Apple is planning to release at least one iPhone 17 model next year with mechanical aperture, according to a report published today by The Information. The mechanical system would allow users to adjust the size of the iPhone 17's aperture, which refers to the opening of the camera lens through which light enters. All existing iPhone camera lenses have fixed apertures, but some Android...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Less Than Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Thursday July 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...

Top Rated Comments

zorinlynx Avatar
27 months ago

Could smartlights be the biggest consumer rort in tech history?
I wouldn't say so.

The lights are expensive, sure. But they last pretty much forever. I bought all my Hue bulbs in 2014-2015 and am still using them all. They all work great. It was a decent amount of money back then but amortized over years of useful life, it's actually pretty cheap. Hell, both of my dimmer switches are still on their original batteries.

And seriously, they just work so well. I've never been really happy with regular dimmers and "dimmable" LED lights. But the Hue lights just do dimming right, and I can't do without them anymore.

Yeah, I'm a shill for them I guess. Hey Signify, pay me!
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MallardDuck Avatar
27 months ago
and, yet again, still no update for a bridge that supports more devices. Multi-bridges aren't an answer because accessories can only control lights on one bridge.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MrTemple Avatar
27 months ago

If it still requires the bridge than its a no go for me.

Either Thread or Matter - otherwise they won't see my money
I'd never buy ones without a bridge.

One or two bulbs? Wifi or bluetooth is great.

Dozens of bulbs? GTFO my wifi network. Dedicated wireless signals from a bridge are WAAAAAY better.

(FYI: The Philips bulbs will support Thread and Matter, and they don't require a bridge, they can be controlled by BT.)
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zorinlynx Avatar
27 months ago

I'd never buy ones without a bridge.

One or two bulbs? Wifi or bluetooth is great.

Dozens of bulbs? GTFO my wifi network. Dedicated wireless signals from a bridge are WAAAAAY better.

(FYI: The Philips bulbs don't require a bridge, they can be controlled by BT.)
I completely agree here. WiFi stops working so well once you have dozens of devices, especially when a lot of them might be far away from the access point so they consume more airtime to stay associated.

Zigbee (what Hue uses) is a mesh network. It's lightweight, doesn't have to constantly send and receive beacons to stay associated and, once set up, is bulletproof. I never touch my Hue bridge; it just stays out of the way plugged into a port on my switch consuming a single IP address on my network.

WiFi is fine if you have two or three bulbs, but once you have a dozen or more it gets annoying fast.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fwmireault Avatar
27 months ago
I have a couple Hue lights myself. I love them but will not purchase anymore until there’s a commitment for thread or matter support

Edit: Seems like the Bridge will support Matter
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CarlJ Avatar
27 months ago

Could smartlights be the biggest consumer rort in tech history?
Well, I had to look up rort to figure out what you were asking (I assume you're going for the Aussie slang definition of "a fraudulent or dishonest act or practice", and not the archaic slang definition of "a wild party"). So, hey, thanks for a new word.

No, they're not fraudulent or dishonest. I find them quite useful. Between my Hue lights and HomePod minis, I rarely touch a light switch these days. Yes, I know where the light switches are, and yes, I'm perfectly capable of walking over to them. What I couldn't easily do with a wall switch is turn on lights in 3 adjacent rooms at the same time, all set to a particular color and varying brightness levels. In the evenings, I usually run my lights low, and as a very warm white (some might call it yellow), which helps prepare for sleep (dumping a bunch of bright daylight bluish white light into your optic nerves does not help with sleep). If I'm in bed and falling asleep, and I remember that I might have left a light on in another part of the house, I can ask Siri to turn all the lights off - problem solved, and without having to get up, wake up a bit, and walk around to every room of the house. If I get up in the middle of the night, I can ask Siri to run a scene that gives a dim red glow to the lights between the bed and the bathroom and the kitchen, instead of stumbling around feeling for light switches (and then getting blasted by bright lights).

There are a bunch of other uses as well. I get that some people don't care, or don't have the imagination to consider the possibilities, but I don't appreciate the hyperbole that gets used to try to paint everyone who uses and appreciates smart lights as somehow being foolish.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)