I have quite a few Philips Hue products in my home, I think around 80 lights and at least 25 accessories. I’ve split the entire installation between two bridges and the whole thing has always been very stable over the past six years. Until a few days ago. Suddenly the lights in some rooms no longer switched on properly when I pressed the light switch.
This week, Philips Hue has released another software update for the Hue Bridge. Version 1967054020 has been rolling out since October 22nd and, as always, will be distributed over several days. It is therefore quite possible that your Bridge will only be ready in the next few days. The minor update, previously version 1967054010 was in use, only fixes a bug relating to the smart Friends of Hue switches.
The Philips Hue team continues to work hard on software development. After an update for almost all Hue lights was released last week – I have already summarised the new features of software version 1.122.2 for you – it is now the turn of the Hue Bridge again. The Philips Hue control centre has actually received an update every month since July 2023.
Philips Hue has been offering another firmware update for its Bridge since last week. With software version 1966117030, the long-lost “Do not disturb my scene” function, which was previously part of the now discontinued Hue Labs, is also set to return. At the moment, I assume that this function will be rolled out slowly.
At the beginning of September, Philips Hue not only presented several new products at the Internationale Funkausstellung in Berlin, but also numerous new software features. For example, the multi-bridge support was explained in detail and an impressive augmented reality function was shown. Unfortunately, I didn’t actually think to enquire about the possible backup function, which I reported on earlier this year.
Last Tuesday, Philips Hue released a major update for its own app. Among other things, a function was added to start and stop the new sleep automations with a switch. However, so far only Tap Dial Switch, wall switch modules, Tap and Friends of Hue switches are supported. However, this should change soon, as a recently released software update for the Hue Bridge shows.
The Hueblog readership also experienced the problem that I had to report on at the beginning of the week: dimmed Philips Hue lamps can suddenly light up with 100 per cent brightness. Signify, the manufacturer of Philips Hue, had pointed out an error in the communication with the smart home standard Matter.
The Philips Hue Bridge is the centrepiece of the system and is updated with new software at regular intervals. The new firmware version 1964061010 has been available to install for a few days now; the previous number was 1963171020. The update includes the following new features: Resolved an issue where, in rare cases, specific non-Hue lights would fail to connect to the Bridge Updated time zones and Daylight Saving Time settings Improved performance and reliability of the system
Back in February, I was able to make a pleasant discovery on the Hue website: Philips Hue is planning support for multiple Hue Brigdes linked to one account later this year. So far, Philips Hue has only issued a rather brief statement: Have more than one Bridge? Later this year, you’ll be able to add multiple Bridges to one account and sort them into Homes to keep your system organized.
The Philips Hue Bridge is known to be designed for 50 lights. What was a pretty generous mark ten years ago is now exceeded by miles in many households. The only way out so far, as long as you want to remain loyal to Philips Hue, is to install a second or third Hue Bridge.
Fabian
Frederick