FabianPhilips Hue announced the Philips Hue Sync TV app almost exactly a year ago. Around CES in Las Vegas, the company teamed up with Samsung to present a solution that analyses the screen content directly on the TV and sends the corresponding commands to the Hue Bridge to light up selected lamps in real time to match the TV picture.
Since then, I keep reading one question: Why is the Hue Sync TV app only available for Samsung? When will other TV manufacturers finally join in? Why doesn't Hue Sync work with an Apple TV or Fire TV?
Still no news after a year
I can anticipate at this point: I also have no information at the moment about when the Hue Sync TV app will also be available for TVs from other manufacturers.
I am pretty sure that there is something like a cooperation agreement with Samsung. After all, Philips Hue already teamed up with the South Korean brand in 2022 and provided a music sync for the SmartThings platform that works in a similar way to the Spotify integration. So the TV app was definitely not a flash in the pan.
Cooperation is the only way forward
And even though there are now a number of manufacturers who rely on open operating systems and offer almost small “app stores” on their TVs, this doesn't necessarily help Philips Hue either. After all, the Hue Sync TV app is not just a simple application that displays any screen content. There is much more behind it.
The app must not only be able to run in the background and start automatically when the TV is switched on. It must also be possible for the current screen content to be accessible to the app or for the app to receive information about it. And this is the point at which Philips Hue needs a co-operative TV manufacturer and the right TV hardware.
Philips Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip TV
from $249.99 / £169.99 / 199,99€
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Any news on Philips HuePlay HDMI Sync Box that offers HDMI 2.1?
The Samsung hue app is not even available in Canada on Samsung TVs. Not sure why it has to be country specific. At least Google TV (Android) has third party hue apps.
Honestly nanoleaf or govee have systems that do the same, cost 1/4 of the price of this app with the only downside a small camera points at the screen
Any news when it isn’t going to be stupidly overpriced?
It was available before they made it only Samsung and tbh I hated it compared to the sync box. I see the Hue Play Gradient TV Strip still over priced lol, I hope people know they can get the cheapest Bluetooth version Hue Gradient Light Strip and extensions and it will work the same for wayyyy less! My home is all Nanoleaf and Hue and I have great displays so tbh kinda like one person has already mentioned here, I use my sync stuff never as much as hue bridge and lights and my nanoleaf lighting they mix very well and work together …*IF* you know ahem what you’re doing!!! Checkout my lighting on Reddit if you want to see how I make Hue and Nanoleaf work to music lightshows with just WiFi and apps its preetyy simple “grin” u/Letslight_you_up
Terrible article that doesn’t even answer the question. “When will” implies providing an actual date.
I was hoping we’d see the release on other modern Samsung screens. Like the NEO G7 43″. No luck still. 🙁