One question has been asked again and again over the past few days, perhaps because of the announcement of the new Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box 8K: When is the Hue Sync app finally coming to other TVs? A year and a half after its launch, the €129 application is still only available on Samsung televisions.
Last Thursday, Philips Hue presented its new products, among them an adapted version of the Philips Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip, which was previously available for TVs in sizes of 55, 65 and 75 inches. Now the identical technology is being used for smaller monitors and is aimed primarily at gamers. Among other things, this has a decisive reason, but more on that later.
Signify unveils a new range of Philips Hue smart lighting products and app features, from unique design options to complement home decor and create the perfect ambiance, to more immersive entertainment experiences for gaming and music. New launches include a striking range of contemporary style bulbs available in three distinctive shapes, a new gradient lightstrip specifically designed for PC monitors to bring the ultimate light experience to PC gaming and a new Mimic presence automation to the Hue app for more peace of mind when you’re away.
About a month ago I was able to tell you that Samsung was working on Hue Sync support for its TVs. Unfortunately, I now have some bad news for you, as Samsung’s connection with Philips Hue turns out to be less extensive than initially thought. In a statement to SamMobile, Samsung revealed: “In the coming months, we hope to announce more details of an expanded partnership between Samsung SmartThings and Philips Hue that will provide enhanced music experiences.”
This could be a really exciting thing. According to information from the blog SamMobile, Samsung is working on a major update for its Internet of Things platform SmartThings. And this could also be really exciting for all Philips Hue users. According to the blog, Samsung is working on support for Philips Hue Sync.
The possibilities of Hue Entertainment have enjoyed great popularity at least since the launch of Spotify integration. Hue Entertainment is also used in combination with the Hue Play HMDI Sync Box. Especially there, fast reaction times are important. To make this possible, a direct connection is established between the Hue Bridge and the lights in the entertainment area when synchronisation with Hue Entertainment is active.
With the launch of the Hue Play HDMI Sync Box in 2019 and the Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip the following year, Philips Hue has managed to take the TV experience to a new level. On the PC, however, where a Sync Box is not even necessary, we are still at the technical level of 2018.
With the latest update to version 4.13 of the Philips Hue app, the Eindhoven-based manufacturer allows Bluetooth lamps to be paired directly in the “normal” Hue app for the first time. Soon it should also be possible to transfer your lamps paired with the Bluetooth app to the main app as well, to make the switch even easier for existing users.
At the beginning of the month, Philips Hue announced it, and now, according to official statements on various social media platforms, the time has come. Although there is still nothing to be read in the release notes, which are never updated very quickly – it should, however, be possible to use the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box with a refresh rate of 120 hertz with the latest firmware update.
It’s an issue that has raised questions since the introduction of Hue Sync. Why doesn’t Philips Hue offer its Sync app for Android TV or Apple TV? This is exactly the question we want to address today. First of all, the bitter news for all Apple users: The restrictions of tvOS are so strict that a Sync app that analyzes the running picture of Apple TV is not possible at all.
Fabian