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.
With the launch of the second generation of Philips Hue Festavia, the manufacturer integrated three new effects into the Hue app last autumn: Glisten, Opal and Prism. Previously, only the latter effect was available for all colourful Hue lamps, while the other two were reserved exclusively for the Festavia string lights.
The Philips Hue app for iOS and Android has been updated and comes with new functions. One new feature is the ability to reorganise the Hue Secure cameras in the security area. You can drag and drop the cameras into the order that suits you best. At the same time, the Philips Hue app makes it easier to change the switch-on behaviour of lamps in a room or zone.
Just a few weeks ago, Philips Hue integrated a long-awaited function into its iOS app: Widgets for the homescreen. This allows scenes to be activated and rooms to be switched on or off without opening the Philips Hue app. Widgets will soon also be available in another very popular app: iConnectHue (App Store link) for iPhone and iPad.
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.
Fabian
Frederick