The Philips Hue smart lighting system has received its biggest app overhaul yet, rebuilt “from the ground up” for increased functionality and a new user experience.
The Hue 4.0 app features a new Home tab with Tile View, which allows users to see all their lights and scenes in one glance, making it easier to control lights and set scenes from a single screen; it also includes a Hue scene gallery and the ability to quickly switch between multiple Hue Bridges.
Routines have been changed to Automations, offering more advanced customisation as well as multi-user geofencing, which will check if any other users are home before running “coming home” or “leaving home” automations.
According to George Yianni, Head of Technology Philips Hue at Signify (formerly Philips Lighting), the new app is the next step in Philips Hue’s drive for innovation.
“The millions of users worldwide of the Philips Hue app are at the basis of its new launch. We analyse suggestions and reviews and even co-create with our users via usability studies and beta apps.
“With the launch of the new Philips Hue app, we set the first milestone in the future of smart lighting. It’s the new Philips Hue experience, and this is just the beginning. We are excited to share more innovations in the rest of the year,” he said.
Signify’s next Hue update this year will include dynamic scenes, which cause each of the lights in a room or zone to transition through different colours.
The upgraded app is available now on the App Store and the Google Play Store, with current users able to update the app and migrate their settings across on first launch.
