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.
When I reported on the firmware update for Philips Hue bulbs and lights last week, there were some critical comments, particularly on the english version of Hueblog, that the article did not contain any information. I found that a bit of a shame, because many users are wondering about the new software version, but Philips Hue has not provided any information so far.
In September 2024, Philips Hue announced that it would be launching specially adapted and optimized kitchen lighting in collaboration with German kitchen manufacturer Nobilia. In addition to spotlights, light strips have also been added to the range—and I had the opportunity to try them out in my kitchen. Unfortunately, I can already tell you that it won’t be that easy for you to get your hands on them.
Philips Hue has quietly launched a new ceiling light in Europe in collaboration with Amazon. The Philips Hue Devote looks familiar to me in two ways: its name and its appearance. What’s the story behind this new ceiling light? The name is certainly not unfamiliar. There was a Hue Devote some time ago, but back then it was a pendant light with an E27 bulb.
If you’ve taken a close look at your Philips Hue app in the last few days, you may have noticed a new version in the software updates section. All Philips Hue bulbs, lights, and light strips have been updated to version 1.122.8/20250213. Unfortunately, the release notes from Philips Hue do not yet provide any specific details.
Just under two years ago, Philips Hue launched its first MR16 spotlights with GU5.3 sockets. The big difference is that, unlike “normal” Philips Hue bulbs, they do not operate at 230 volts. Instead, just like classic MR16 bulbs, they run on 12 volts. This means that a transformer is required. However, some transformers can cause problems with the power supply.
The new Philips Hue Smart Button has been available for around a month. It offers exactly the same functions as its predecessor, but has a significantly different shape. The new Philips Hue Smart Button is bigger – but does that make it better? I explored this question in detail and created a short video, which you can now watch on YouTube.
Philips Hue has released another update for its app, version 5.46.0 is now available for download. The update is already available in the Apple App Store, but it is not yet visible in the Google Play Store. I think it will follow there in the coming days. In any case, there isn’t much to report, as Philips Hue doesn’t have any new features to offer this time around.
For many years, we had to make do with the Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus. With 1,700 lumens, it was quite bright, but the spacing between the individual LEDs was really very large at six centimeters. It was not until the Philips Hue Ambiance Gradient Lightstrip that the spacing was significantly reduced, as can be seen in the following image.
Fabian