FabianAlthough an official press release is still pending, the new Philips Hue products are available starting today. They are already listed in the official Philips Hue online store. At this time, the add-to-cart buttons are not yet active, but that should change over the next few hours. Click here to go directly to the overview of all new products. But what exactly is new?
Four new Philips Hue wall switch modules
We’ve been familiar with the Philips Hue wall switch module for several years now. It’s perfect for turning a classic light switch into a smart one when a Philips Hue lamp is hanging from the ceiling. With the new models, Philips Hue is expanding its portfolio.
The wired Philips Hue wall switch module offers exactly the same functionality but is hardwired. This eliminates the need for the button cell battery, which previously had to be replaced every few years.
Philips Hue also offers three additional wall switch modules that allow you to turn non-smart ceiling lights on and off or even dim them. You should also be able to control smart bulbs using the wall switch. With the exception of the Dimmer Switch, all three new wall switch modules require a neutral wire.
- Philips Hue Wired Wall Switch Module
- Philips Hue Wired On/Off Switch (1-Channel)
- Philips Hue Wired On/Off Switch (2-Channel)
- Philips Hue Wired Dimmer Switch (1-Channel)
I can’t say for certain yet, but it appears the new wall switch modules are only available in Europe.
The new Philips Hue Play series
One of the three new models actually popped up on Amazon last night. Philips Hue is expanding the Play series with three new stick lights. All three are affordable alternatives to the very expensive and significantly brighter Philips Hue Gradient Signe series. However, you won’t have to do without features like color gradients here.
- Philips Hue Play Table Lamp (60 cm)
- Philips Hue Play Compact Floor Lamp (122 cm)
- Philips Hue Play Large Floor Lamp (133cm)
Something I find a little bit odd: In the official product photos, the packaging is significantly smaller than the product itself. At first, this led me to suspect that the lights still need to be assembled, as is the case with Govee. However, the packaging dimensions are now listed in the technical specifications—so it should be clear that all three models will arrive at your doorstep in one piece.
Matter Upgrade for E14 Candle Lamps and Recessed Lights
Rounding out the June wave of Philips Hue releases is an upgrade to the E14 candle lamp. Starting now, Matter over Thread is available as an alternative wireless protocol, though this isn’t particularly important when used with a Hue Bridge anyway. Additionally, the white light spectrum has been slightly expanded. The Matter upgrade is also available for the Philips Hue Slim recessed lights, which have been available since the beginning of the month.
All new Philips Hue products are already listed in the official online store, but cannot be ordered yet. That should change in the course of the morning, at which point I will also add the direct links and prices to the article.
