An often-requested feature is finally coming to Hue, Philips’ innovative internet-enabled smart lightbulb system.
The company revealed today that its new Philips Hue Bridge 2.0 will enable Apple’s voice activated assistant, Siri, to control Hue’s lightbulbs. Philips’ new bridge will also remain compatible will all current Philips Hue Products.
Along with Siri compatibility, Philips Hue Bridge 2.0 is also set to support Apple’s HomeKit smart home developer framework, which means the company’s WiFi lightbulbs will be able to be more easily integrated into people’s smart home setups (as long as they use products that work with HomeKit). The device also remains compatible with up to 50 different Hue lights and devices.
“Lighting is the most accessible aspect of the connected home, and as the lighting expert for the internet of things we are taking connected lighting to the next phase. By integrating Philips Hue with Apple HomeKit, we are broadening people’s experience of light beyond what has been previously possible, providing seamless interoperability with other connected home devices,” said Philips Lighting CEO Eric Rondolat in a statement to MobileSyrup.
Siri compatibility allows Hue Bridge 2 users to turn their lights on and off with simple commands such as, “Siri, turn off the living room lights,” or, “Siri, turn on the bedroom lamp,” as well as create overarching scenarios that have the ability to control all the lights in your home. For example, if you want every light in your house to flip off simultaneously, setting up a command like, “Siri, set my home to night mode,” is now possible. Voice commands related to dimming Hue lights (or lightening them) to a specific percent, are also part of Hue’s new Siri compatibility.
In terms of build, Philips Hue Bridge 2.0 looks very similar to its predecessor, only with a slightly more angular build.
Philips also revealed that it’s updating Hue’s A19 bulbs to 800 lumens and emphasized that the original Philips Hue Bridge will “continue to be supported with software updates.”
Philips Bridge 2.0 is available as a standalone product for US$59, or as part of a starter kit for US$199, starting tomorrow, October 6.
It’s unclear if Philips also plans to support Nest’s smart home communication infrastructure, Weave, at some point in the future.
We’ve reached out to Philips to confirm Canadian availability and pricing for the Philips Bridge 2.0. However, Philips’ press release about their new device indicates that it is set for a North American release.
[source]9to5Mac[/source]
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