At the end of the year, Philips Hue has once again delivered a comprehensive update this week. Version 5.57 is now available for download from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store and not only offers the new multi-bridge migration, but also numerous other new features. And that’s exactly what I’d like to tell you more about today.
I have to admit that I was a little disappointed when Philips Hue unveiled the new Hue Bridge Pro in early September and it became clear that only data from an existing Hue Bridge could be migrated. After all these years, though, it wasn’t a big deal to keep one of the two old control centers running a little longer.
If you’re on the lookout for the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box 8K while Christmas shopping, you might find yourself rubbing your eyes in amazement. No, there isn’t yet another new version of the small HDMI box from Philips Hue, just new packaging. With the introduction of the Hue Play Wallwasher in the summer, the manufacturer began placing its own name more prominently on the packaging.
Over the past few weeks, I have been asked two questions repeatedly: What is the status of the Multi-Bridge migration, and when will the connectors for the Flux light strips be available? In my brief weekly review, I would like to offer a brief assessment of the situation. Let’s start with the Multi-Bridge migration, which was promised for this year.
Another new product from Philips Hue is now available, but once again not worldwide at once. The 5-meter-long Hue Essential Lightstrip can now be ordered in the US and Canada. Here in Europe, where it will cost €59.99, there is still no sign of it. In September, Philips Hue announced the launch for December, but according to my information, this could be tight in Germany and other European countries.
This product category has always been very popular in the USA, which is why Philips Hue launched the new Hue Festavia Permanent there a few weeks ago in two different colors. The 18-meter-long white string of lights with a total of 32 light points is now also available in Germany and other European countries.
Together with the Hue Bridge Pro, Philips Hue has introduced a new technology that turns Hue lights into motion sensors. In addition to the new bridge, MotionAware requires three or four lamps in a room, arranged in a suitable configuration. As soon as movement is detected by changes in radio frequencies within this area, the lights can be switched on.
If you’re on the go with an iPhone or iPad and want to get even more out of your Hue installation, there’s really only one answer in the App Store: iConnectHue. The app from German developer Stefan Göhler is available today at half price. Instead of $5.99, the app currently costs only $2.99.
Apart from the numerous Black Friday deals I collected for hueblog.de this week, it has been pretty quiet over the last few days. Even the biweekly mandatory update for the Philips Hue app turned out to be pretty small. “Various bug fixes and stability improvements” is all that the update description for version 5.56.0 of the Hue app says.
Philips Hue is launching a whole range of new light strips this fall. The Hue Flux Lightstrip, its ultra-bright sibling, and the magnificent Hue Omniglow Lightstrip are already available. In December, two more light strips from the Hue Essential series will be added, which we still need to take a closer look at.
Fabian