Philips Hue has invited guests to a major media event in Berlin on September 3. Numerous tech journalists will be in town during the IFA trade show and will find out what new products Philips Hue is bringing to market away from the exhibition. I have summarized all the rumors for you and venture a small preview of what could be coming in September.
It’s not entirely unlikely that a well-equipped smart home with Philips Hue lighting will also feature Sonos speakers. After all, Sonos is the market leader when it comes to smart control and multi-room functionality. As I have now learned, the two manufacturers are set to join forces soon – at least when it comes to voice control.
September is going to be really exciting for Philips Hue: a major media event is planned, and numerous new products are likely to be unveiled at the International Radio Exhibition in Berlin. Exactly what these will be is still a complete secret. In April, a striking number of entries for new light bulbs appeared at the FCC regulatory agency.
The Philips Hue Bridge is a well-known gadget, and the current generation has been with us for around 10 years now. Many of us would like to see a more powerful model with more memory to finally eliminate the limit of around 60 lamps. We all know that the current Hue Bridge has three status LEDs.
When I moved into my current home in 2017, the selection of ceiling lights in the Philips Hue range was still fairly limited. You could count the available models on one hand; names like Struana, Cher, and Fair come to mind. There were also a few spotlights, such as Hue Runner, but these were also equipped with individual bulbs.
I don’t want to get too involved in politics, but I would still like to report on the impact this has had on Philips Hue users. As announced last week, prices for Philips Hue products in the US have risen as a result of tariffs. As of 1 July, it is now clear by how much: almost all Hue products in the US have become around 10 percent more expensive.
In recent years, Philips Hue has always unveiled new products at the International Radio Exhibition in Berlin—and this year seems to be no different. An invitation has just landed in my mailbox. Under the motto “Reimagine your home,” Philips Hue plans to introduce new products on the evening of September 3, which is Wednesday during IFA week.
Not a single month has passed this year without an update for the Philips Hue Bridge. Although it is already a good 10 years old, the control center is not yet ready for the scrap heap. Philips Hue is currently distributing software version 1972004020 with minor adjustments and improvements. The update primarily serves to adapt the Hue Bridge to the new devices.
There is bad news for the many Hue fans in the United States: from July 1, numerous Philips Hue products will become even more expensive than they already are. The manufacturer announced this in a marketing newsletter at the beginning of the month and has now officially confirmed it to the Hueblog.
Along with the launch of new products last week, Philips Hue has made a significant change. This is not something that is done lightly, but rather after careful consideration. Philips Hue has changed its logo. This is clearly visible when comparing the old and new packaging. On the right side of the image, you can see part of the packaging for the new Philips Hue Play Wall Washer, which was unveiled last week.
Fabian