FabianPhilips Hue hasn’t exactly been successful at keeping its new products under wraps this summer. Following the new lights from the Hue Play series and the improved E14 candle bulbs, new wall switch modules have now also appeared. There will be four new products in total, including, for the first time, switch actuators for the smart control of classic ceiling lights.
As is well known, the previous Hue wall switch module with a battery only works with smart ceiling lights from Philips Hue. This is also required for the new “Hue Wired Wall Switch Module.” However, there is one major difference: The new module is hardwired to the home’s electrical system and no longer requires a button cell battery for power. Just like before, two rocker switches or standard switches can be connected, which is very practical.
The first pictures show the contents of the package and the installation (see title image):
Philips Hue is introducing three new switch modules for “dumb” lights
Philips Hue is taking it a step further and will be launching three new flush-mount modules that allow you to integrate “dumb” ceiling lights into the Hue system. The names already say a lot about their functionality:
- Hue Wired On/Off Switch 1 Channel
- Hue Wired On/Off Switch 2 Channel
- Hue Wired Dimmer Switch
With the On/Off Switch, you’ll be able to control one or two ceiling lights—via the Hue app and, of course, via the existing switch as well. The Hue Wired Dimmer Switch even enables a dimming function for classic ceiling lighting.
One question in particular comes to mind regarding the new switch modules: Will they appear in the Hue app simply as a single light, as third-party products have done so far? Or will the wall switch also allow you to control other Hue lights?
You can already see exactly how the new modules are installed on YouTube. The videos are still available, though Philips Hue may take them down again. The new wall switch modules are scheduled to launch in June.
Will these be coming to the US as well?
Also, to confirm, these will not work with a grouping of bulbs? Only a Hue made fixture?
I use the current module with three bulbs for a bathroom fixture above a mirror. no issues whatsoever.
This could potentially allow for Hue integration of ceiling and bathroom fans as well. That is more exciting to me than it should be.
Exactly what I wanted to do
Has been possible for a long while with third-party Hue compatibles devices like the Samotech SM308.
I’ve been waiting for Eve to make their EU Light Switch Matter-compatible for years, I’m now pretty sure that’s never gonna arrive, so Philips Hue Wired Switch + a Gira E2 switch it is. If the Hue switches are of good quality, that would be even better: it means I should be able to have all my lights, Hue and the few currently dumb ones, not just in Home Assistant, but also in the Hue app itself.
Do you know what the connectivity is? I’m guessing Zigbee (plus Matter via the Hue Bridge), but if these supported Matter-over-Thread directly, that would also be great.
In the last video they start of with a dimmer switch then install a dimmer module en it look they put back a normal switch. Would this mean you can only dim your lights with the app? Or will it work with a puls switch like it works with the current modules? push it and it will toggle. long push and it dims.
I really looking forward for a procut like this!
Any rumors on a release date? Building a house now and would prefer the hardwired ones!
Why oh why hasn’t Hue made it possible to use a rotary dimmer with these modules?!
Any idea about the maximum current that this device can handle?
If the two channel one supports dimmers in the US, I will buy one day one.
Seems that neutral is required at the switch 🙁
I am assuming there is no technical reason why these could not be used in the UK, anyone have a view? My concern is that the devices will be a very tight fit in a standard 25mm UK back box especially with the very thick gauge cabling used. Another scenario I would have to get my head around is how it would work when you have multiple switches to turn on and off one light!
I thought they finally released a proper dimmer switch module but very disappointed it’s not a rotary one.
I too prefer a rotary knob for smartdimmers since it is far more intuitive to use than a single momentary button that doubles as on/off and bright/dim control.
However, for dumb lights that use 2-way switching, using a switch at each location keeps the operation and the appearance uniform.
There are many other smartdimmers that have a rotary control but only a momentary switch input for multi-location (2-way) control, which works but is then not a consistent user experience.
The new Wired Wall Switch Module appears to have the same functionality as the current battery powered module, i.e. it controls Hue smart bulbs/lights, but it does need a Neutral wire present in the switch back box. Here in the UK that is not very common, so the battery version (which of course does not need a Neutral) will still be needed in many UK homes.
I have installed four of the battery wall switch modules and have yet to replace a single battery, but it worries me that one day the battery will fail and if I’m not around, the module will have been entirely forgotten about and it will be difficult for an electrician to diagnose why lights have stopped working.
So, for some while now I have been thinking about making some printed labels to stick in a discrete location on the dumb switches covering the battery powered module, that say something like “Battery inside”.
But now, since my UK home does have Neutral wires present in all the switch back boxes, I could swap out the battery modules for the new wired modules and no longer worry about battery failures.
I do wonder if the new wired module works faster than the battery module? There is noticeable lag when operating a dumb switch connected to a battery module input, probably due to aggressive power management taking time to wake up and operate. It may turn out that the wired module responds faster since it has no need to deep sleep.
The new On/Off and Dimmer modules are an exciting way to control dumb bulbs for the first time without using third party smartswitches or smartdimmers. Unfortunately these too seem to need a Neutral wire connection.
Wow, haven’t really watched the Hue-sphere since I installed my pro-bridge.
That is great news, especially the dimmer module. I have one lamp controlled by some 3rd party module off Amazon, but that thing has very high latency and is unreliable compared to native Hue lights.
So there’s my first module, every other battery powered module will be replaced latest when the battery runs out.
Will one of these also work to control an electrical outlet? So I can skip the Hue Smart Plug.
I wonder how long after a leak are these products usually released? I’m in the middle of a full renovation and was about to install other modules but this changed everything and now I’m in a bit of a time crunch..