FabianSometimes I hear stories about Philips Hue where you can only touch your head. Currently at the top of the hit list is the Philips Hue Outdoor LightStrip, one of the most popular outdoor products.
Launched almost two years ago, the Outdoor LightStrip has been available in two different versions since then: for 89.95 euros you could get two meters of light strip, for 159.95 euros even five meters. A great product that could be used in many ways.
In the last few weeks, however, more and more e-mails with a very specific topic have landed in my mailbox. Matthias, for example, writes to me: “I've been trying for weeks to find a 5 meter Philips Hue Outdoor LightStrip for my balcony. But I can't find it anywhere because they are sold out everywhere. Has Philips Hue taken them off the market?”
Only slightly revised new generation is significantly more expensive
It's a question that's not so easy to answer. Philips Hue has actually taken the previously known version of the Outdoor LightStrip out of its program. Since mid-June, the two light strips have been sold under a new part number – now with an additional Bluetooth connection that is not aggressively advertised.
But there is actually one more change – which is anything but great. The recommended retail price has been increased. Philips Hue now charges 20 euros more for the two-meter-long light strip, and even 30 euros more for the 5-meter-long Outdoor LightStrip. 189.99 euros – that is definitely an announcement and cannot be compensated in the retail trade even by the reduction in VAT (in Germany).
But that's by no means all: Due to the changeover between the “old” and the “new” model, availability in the trade can indeed be described as very poor. Many retailers report delivery times of more than a month, and on platforms such as Amazon.de the Outdoor LightStrip from Philips Hue cannot be ordered at all at the moment.
Alternatives are now offered by two third-party manufacturers. The Outdoor LightStrip from Müller-Licht Tint could not convince me because of its poor colour rendering, the Outdoor LightStrip from Innr is doing a good job. Available in two and four meter lengths, it is indeed a good and cheap alternative to the original.
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Well, nearly a year on from this article and there still doesn’t seem to be a lot of info about the two different versions? It’s as if Philips just wanted to quietly slip out the new one without really telling anyone!
I only noticed because I came across a shop selling two metre lightstrips at different prices and thought they had messed up but after a bit of searching I realised there was now two different versions.
After a bit more searching I came across a post (can’t remember where now, unfortunately) that said somebody had had a PSU fail on them after about six months which was replaced by Philips, only for that to fail after a further 8 months. Maybe unconnected as I haven’t seen any other complaints about failing PSU’s but it did make me wonder if it was more an upgrade to those (or the control box) rather than the actual lightstrip. Esp as that now has bluetooth included.
Also, I have seen the older version only rated as IP65, whereas the newer one now IP67. Again, maybe an upgrade to the electrical sides, as opposed to the actual lightstrip, and are just trying to sneak out the ‘sorted’ problem quietly to avoid an onslaught of returns?
Probably just me overthinking things but hey, we have been getting continously blasted with claims of ‘false news’ and conspiracy theories for the last year or so, so maybe it’s just my brain giving in and joining the tin hat brigade! lol