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.
Yesterday evening Philips Hue released another update of its official app, the update description reads more than sober: “Bug fixes and performance improvements”, it says in the App Store. But beyond that, there are some new things to discover. There are some new scenes – and finally a flamingo in the Hue app.
You have to hand it to Tomas Baran, the developer of Ambee: He was clearly faster than Philips Hue. Back in 2013, he offered an app, then still called Goldee, with which you could use dynamic scenes. It was eight years later that the manufacturer itself integrated such a function into his app.
When it comes to apps around Philips Hue, apart from the official app, we mainly think of apps like iConnectHue or Hue Essentials. How about a new release for a change? Hue Engage is now available in the Google Play Store. Hue Engage comes from Daniel Meyer, a developer from Switzerland.
Even though I don't use Hue Essentials myself, I am happy about this little announcement from the developers from the Netherlands. On Instagram, the team around Hue Essentials announced that the app will soon be released for the computer as well. “We have been working on both Windows and Mac releases,” they say.
What scares off burglars the most App? When it looks like someone is at home in a house. And what's the best way to achieve that? With light. Philips Hue knows this too, because it is not for nothing that the function “Advanced presence mimicking” is available via Hue Labs. The function is explained there as follows: “Turn on the Presence mimicking Formula to make it look like you are at home with light.
With the latest update to version 4.13 of the Philips Hue app, the Eindhoven-based manufacturer allows Bluetooth lamps to be paired directly in the “normal” Hue app for the first time. Soon it should also be possible to transfer your lamps paired with the Bluetooth app to the main app as well, to make the switch even easier for existing users.
A few weeks ago I already announced it, but there were probably some minor delays in the development. With today's release of Philips Hue 4.13, the previous Bluetooth app becomes superfluous – because a corresponding support has now been integrated into the “main” app. However, the development team states the following in the update notes: “New Philips Hue users can now use the Hue app to control their Bluetooth setup.
I already announced it on Monday, now it has happened sooner than expected: Philips Hue 4.12 is now available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. In addition to the already announced effects Fireplace and Candle, the new version also brings six new, especially romantic scenes for Valentine's Day.
Last week, Stefan Göhler, the developer of iConnectHue, came forward: He has integrated the fireplace and the candle effect into his application. The two effects were already officially announced by Philips Hue in a press release in January. At that time they wrote: In the first quarter of 2022, new effects will also be added to the Philips Hue app.
Just under a fortnight ago, Philips Hue announced that two new effects would be making their way into the Hue app by the end of March: A candle flicker and a fireplace effect. These two effects are available more quickly with the popular iConnectHue app. The developer Stefan Göhler is providing a corresponding update with immediate effect.
Fabian