Philips Hue is a lineof color changing LED lamps and white bulbs which can be controlled wirelessly. The Phillips Hue line of bulbs was the first smart bulb of its kind on the market. The lamps are currently created and manufactured by Signify N.V., formerly the Philips Lighting division of Royal Philips N.V..
Products
Operation
The Philips Hue Bridge is the central controller of the lighting system which allows the bulbs to "communicate" with Apple HomeKit and the app. In 2016 Philips released a new square shaped v2 bridge which replaces the round v1 bridge. The first generation bridge stopped receiving software updates from April 2020. The Hue system was released in October 2012 as an Apple Storeexclusive and was marketed as the first iOS controlled lighting appliance. It uses the Zigbee lighting protocol to communicate, and can be controlled via smartphone apps over cellular network, Ethernet or Wi-Fi via a Zigbee–Ethernet bridge wired to a router. The initial system had bulbs capable of producing up to 600 lumens while the newer systems have bulbs that produce up to 800 lumens. In July 2018, an outdoor version of the Philips Hue suite was introduced, and in October 2018 a suite of entertainment-focused, free-standing light fittings. In January 2019 they announced outdoor sensors and lights.
Color ranges
There are three different Philips Hue color types available. White, White Ambiance and Color & White Ambiance. Each type is designed for a different use. The White bulbs are dimmable and give a white light with a color temperature of 2700 K. The White Ambiance bulbs are dimmable and can change temperatures from a warm soft white to a bright day light between 2200 K and 6500 K. The Color & White Ambiance range is the most colorful. The Color & White Ambiance bulbs are also dimmable and have 16 million colors.
Since June 2019, all Philips hue bulbs are available with Bluetooth. With the addition of Bluetooth, a Philips Hue Bridge is no longer necessary. The Bluetooth lamps can be directly operated with the special Philips Hue Bluetooth app. The Bluetooth bulbs are still compatible with the bridge, but a bridge is not necessary anymore. The use of bluetooth bulbs is limited to a maximum of 10 lamps with a maximum distance of 30 feet, between the lamp and smartphone.
Security concern
A security flaw in the product was discovered and fixed, then disclosed in 2016. The bulbs were able to be remotely controlled over the Internet by simulated security engineers using inexpensive equipment. In the proof-of-concept, researchers were able to remotely control light bulbs using a nearby car or a drone flying outside a window within. The flaw was reported to Philips and fixed prior to being publicly revealed.
Reception
In an article in Forbes, Seth Porges called Phillips Hue the "best product of 2012". PC Magazine reviewed the white variation and named it as an editors' choice and said it was bright and affordable and had many features.
