FabianAt the end of the year, the developer of iConnectHue (App Store link) for iPhone and iPad has another surprise in store. There is a major update that adds support for the Hue Sync Box. However, there is one important point to note: the new feature is only available with a Pro membership.
This is precisely my main criticism of the app, which offers countless practical features. In addition to purchasing the app itself, there are several in-app purchases for selected features, paid annual upgrades, and paid basic and Pro memberships. That’s just too much.
In principle, it is of course understandable that ongoing development has to be financed. Integrating the Hue Sync Box was a lot of work: “Not only in terms of app integration, but also in terms of future maintenance and adaptation to new developments in iOS and the Hue system. That’s why this feature is available with a Pro membership.” Additional features related to the Sync Box are also to be integrated.
This is what iConnectHue can do with the Hue Sync Box
But what can iConnectHue actually do with the Hue Sync Box? In addition to the usual features you know from the official Hue app, iConnectHue allows you to use presets.
“Presets allow you to save your current settings for brightness, entertainment zone, visualization mode, and intensity—so you can recall them at any time without having to set everything manually,” says the development team. This means you can easily create settings for a movie night, a sports broadcast, or your favorite TV series and activate them with a single click.
Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box 8K
$349.99 / £299.99 / €349.99
Here’s what’s new in iConnectHue 5.14
Just in time for the end of the year, New Year’s Eve animations are now available free of charge for all users. Also new:
- You can now edit the stop mode for entertainment areas
- Improved editing of the entertainment area in the Discotainment widget
- Revised device search assistant: You can now also add new bridges there
You can currently purchase iConnectHue for $4.99 in the App Store. The app is still available exclusively for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.
