FabianAt CES in Las Vegas, Philips Hue announced not only the new SpatialAware feature, but also two other software innovations. These are certainly not entirely surprising and have already been mentioned in the past, but now we are entering the home stretch in terms of launch and availability.
Apple Home support for Hue Secure products
It was supposed to be ready by the end of 2025, but now it’s promised for the first quarter of 2026: the wired Hue Secure camera, the Hue Secure video doorbell, and the Hue Secure contact sensors will soon be compatible with Apple Home.
Once the update is released, you will be able to access the live view of the cameras via Apple Home. And when someone rings the doorbell, the camera image will even be displayed in picture-in-picture mode on Apple TV during your next Netflix session. You will also be able to receive push notifications directly via the Apple Home app, including when the Hue Secure contact sensor status changes.
The AI assistant in additional languages
The AI-powered assistant from Philips Hue has been optimized and can now create automations based on previous requests. For example, you can set a light alarm for every day at 6:45 a.m., except Wednesdays.
Previously, the AI assistant was only available in English. In the first quarter, the feature will also be available in German, Dutch, and Spanish.
More intuitive display of automations in the Hue app
Automations for lighting products and accessories will now be displayed directly in the rooms and zones controlled via the Hue app. This makes it even more intuitive to set wake-up times in the bedroom or timers for kitchen lighting. Something similar has already been done in the past with accessories and sensors, which also appear directly in the room view.
I did not understand the part of Hue Secure contact sensors integration with Apple Home.
I have installed some Hue Secure contact sensors in my home, which are visible in the Apple Home app and Apple Home sends me a notification every time the status of the sensor is changed.
What will be the actual feature addition to the already implemented functionality?
Additionally, given that the Philips Hue Secure cameras will be finally integrated to the Apple Home, does it mean that we can make use of the iCloud storage to save the cameras captured video?