Philips Hue’s basic idea for the Hue Secure cameras was pretty simple: they started with a closed system to only transmit camera recordings in encrypted form and thus offer a high level of data protection. Things are now a little different. Since December 2024, it has also been possible to access the live feed of a Hue Secure camera via the three platforms Amazon Alexa, Google Home and Samsung SmartThings – but then explicitly without encryption from device to device.
Apple introduced a new HomeKit architecture this year with iOS 16.4. Apart from the fact that the iPad can no longer be used as a home hub, not much has changed in terms of handling the system. However, there is a big change in the interaction with Philips Hue. Pairing with HomeKit is now only possible if you use a home hub in the same network.
With full-blown smart home systems, such a setting is probably no problem, but in the Hue universe, on the other hand, you come up against your limits. It’s about a question about the Philips Hue motion detector that Mike sent me by email: I’ve been searching the net for a few days and can’t find what I’m looking for.
Today I briefly considered trying out the Lightbar for the Perifo track system, but we’ll postpone that until later. Today we will first deal with a question from the community that Michel sent me. He asks: I want a certain lamp to come on at sunset, but only when I’m at home.
Fabian