It has been a little over a week since Philips Hue released the update to version 4.36 of its app. In the comments and also in my email inbox, numerous word messages on a particular topic have piled up after the update. For example, Oliver writes: Why did the date and time of the last action of the respective sensor, dimmer, button or tap dial disappear in the settings of the accessories in the latest version 4.36.0 of the HUE app?
In September 2020, Philips Hue introduced its smallest light bulb to date: Philips Hue White P45 E14 bulb in a teardrop shape, also known internationally as a ” Luster”. Equipped with an E14 base, it was significantly more compact than the familiar E14 candle lamp: 77 millimetres compared to 106 millimetres.
In contrast to many other smart home systems, Philips Hue has a decisive advantage: after connecting the bridge to the router at home, you can use the entire system, at least locally, without registering. No account needs to be created. “That’s the good thing about Hue, you don’t need to register for local use.
Just before Christmas, Philips Hue introduced a new scene: Natural Light. It automatically switches between individual scenes over a 24-hour period to give you the most appropriate light for the time of day. Philips Hue writes: “Start with bright, cool tones to energise you in the morning, and end the day with a warmer, golden hue to help you relax in the evening.”
Already in the summer of last year, Philips Hue introduced another model under the name “Hue Go”. A portable table lamp was supposed to appear in late summer 2022. Unfortunately, nothing came of it, at least in Europe. Today there is good news: The portable table lamp Philips Hue Go Portable is now available in Germany and other European countries.
A few years ago, Signify, the manufacturer of Philips Hue, acquired up a competitor: WiZ. To our surprise, the brand was not simply buried afterwards, but continued. Last year alone, WiZ introduced numerous new lamps and luminaires. These are not directly compatible with Philips Hue, rely on a WiFi connection and usually cost a little less.
Earlier this year, Philips Hue didn’t make any huge announcements apart from the Hue Sync TV app. A new outdoor wall lamp, the launch date for the Hue Go table lamp in Europe and an alternative version of the Hue Tap Dial switch. So far, the switch comes with an 8 x 8 centimetre magnetic wall mount that also fits beautifully on an empty switch box.
If you are thinking about buying a Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box, you might want to be patient. There are very strong indications that Philips Hue is planning to introduce a new model. Two product images have appeared on the web that show a new Sync Box. On the first picture you can see a new packaging with the inscription “HDMI Sync Box 8K”.
At the beginning of September, Philips Hue introduced its new Lightguide series. Large glass lamps with a light tube inside. Three models were originally supposed to be launched in autumn: Ellipse, Globe and Triangular. The launch was then postponed, later in December the first of three planned models appeared with the Hue Lightguide Ellipse.
Philips Hue has once again released a new update in the App Store. Version 4.35 of the official application for the smart lighting system is now available for download. Included is one small change in particular, which can prove to be quite practical. In the room and zone view, you can now create your own groups for scenes.
Fabian