Gadronics It might have accidentally been unveiled a couple of weeks ago, but news of the new Philips Hue Bridge Pro is still an exciting launch, and one that’s, arguably, way overdue.
More devices, smarter control
The biggest issue with the current Hue Bridge is its relatively low device count, with only 50 lights officially supported. It sounds like a lot, but with light strips, bulbs, lamps, outdoor lighting and more, it’s quite easy to get past this limit. The current solution of using multiple bridges is quite flawed, and fiddly to set up.
With the Hue Bridge Pro, the device support has trippled to 150 lights and 50 devices. That will easily cover most people’s homes.
It’s a full upgrade elsewhere, too, with a faster processor and 15 times the memory of the original, supporting up to 500 custom lighting scenes (again, the lower limit on the original was quite easy to hit).
The Hue Bridge Pro also introduces Hue Motion Aware, which turns existing lights into motion sensors by cleverly monitoring the Zigbee signal. It’s similar the technology baked into WiZ lights, although there the motion sensing tech uses Wi-Fi.
Philips Hue has promised a simple transfer process from an existing single Bridge to the new one; those with multiple Bridges will have to wait until later in the year.
The Hue Bridge Pro will launch this September fo $89.99/£79.99.
New lights
It wouldn’t be a Hue event without a range of new lights, and this time there were a lot. At the basic level there were some new Essentials Bulbs, which still connect to the same ecosystem, but offer slightly lower performance, as detailed in the image below. Although aimed at newcomers, they could be good choices for existing Hue owners in areas that don’t need the full performance, such as a utility room.
Signify also announced a new range of lightstrips. At the high-end, there’s the Philips Hue OmniGlow, which uses chips-scale-package (CSP) technology to deliver spotless, uniform light and smooth colour gradients. That model produces up to 4500 lumens of brightness.
Then, there’s a range of Flux strip lights, both indoor and outdoor, with one model delivering twice the brightness of the previous model. Special extensions, connectros and brackets mean that hte lights can be installed more flexibly, too.
Hue Secure Video Doorbell
Expanding its security camera offering, the Hue Secure Video Doorbell works like other smart doorbells, giving you a way to answer your door remotely and also to act as an additional security camera. This model will record video at a 2K resolution, and has an optional plug-in chime for indoor use. This was launched alongside the new 2K plug-in camera.
A subscription is needed for long-term video storage, but all camera owners will get 24-hour recording for free, alongside recognising alarm signals and providing emergency lighting. In 2026, facial recognition will be available.
The Video Doorbell will cost $169.99/£139.99.
Sonos Voice Control
If you’ve got Hue lights and want voice control but don’t want to buy into one of the big systems, then Sonos Voice Control might be for you. For compatible Sonos systems, the private Sonos voice assistant will let you turn lights on and off, control brightness and activate scenes. This system is rolling out in September.
