It is only through the numerous applications from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store that Philips Hue has become what it is today. Here you’ll find the best apps for your smart light.
The Philips Hue app has received another update and this is particularly interesting for users of an iPhone or iPad. After a long, long time, there are finally widgets for Philips Hue again. I'll explain exactly what you can expect in this article. Several years ago, the widgets in iOS could still be found in the Today view, and Philips Hue widgets were already available back then.
In January 2023, Philips Hue launched a surprising cooperation with Samsung in the TV environment: the Hue Sync TV app was born. It can be used to synchronise lights to match the screen, regardless of where the picture content comes from. It is supported. The app is available on all 2022 devices from the Q60 model upwards and can be easily installed via the App Store, albeit for a hefty 129.99 euros.
This afternoon, Philips Hue released another update in the App Store: version 5.13.0 of the official app is now available for download. And once again, a lot has changed – even more than can be read in the update description in the App Store. For example, the latest version of the app makes it much easier to edit and then save an existing scene.
With the introduction of version 5.12, Philips Hue has made a small change to the start page of its app, which you may have already noticed. While information on the lamps that are switched on or off was previously displayed under each room name, this space is now empty. “5 lamps are switched on” or “All lamps are switched off” was previously displayed there.
When I took a look at the Hue app on the overcast days, something struck me as odd. The start page with the overview of the rooms seemed so empty. However, I didn't immediately realise what exactly was missing. It was only a comment from a reader that put me on the right track.
It's time again for some updates from the world of Philips Hue. However, I can already tell you that it's not going to be spectacular, as there are probably no new functions. An update for the Hue Bridge was released a week ago. The firmware version 1963089030 merely improves the performance and stability of the system.
It's been a few years since Philips Hue removed the widgets from its iPhone app, but back then they weren't on the home screen anyway. Apple now allows widgets on the home screen – and since the launch of iOS 17, they can even be interactive. This means that actions can be performed without having to open the corresponding app.
An interesting comment from a reader drew my attention to a small but noteworthy innovation in the official Philips Hue app. There is now a third colour circle that has been specially created for scenes. Up to now, there have been two colour circles in the Hue app. One is the familiar “colour picker”, where you can move the light points to a colour of your choice.
Yesterday evening, Philips Hue released another update to its app – and simply failed to mention the biggest new feature in the update description. On the iPad and also on Android tablets, the room overview is now displayed with two columns again. But before we get to that, let's take a look at what the app looked like before.
It's finally time again on Sunday night: the 2024 Super Bowl is on. The Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas. If you're watching the sporting spectacle on your TV, you can create an even more impressive atmosphere with your Philips Hue lamps. All you need is an app.
Fabian