Philips Hue is a line of color-changing
LED lamps
An LED lamp or LED light is an electric light that produces light using light-emitting diodes (LEDs). LED lamps are significantly more Electrical efficiency, energy-efficient than equivalent Incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamps and f ...
and white bulbs which can be
controlled wireless
Wireless communication (or just wireless, when the context allows) is the transfer of information (''telecommunication'') between two or more points without the use of an electrical conductor, optical fiber or other continuous guided transm ...
ly. The Philips 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 Hue Bridge is the central controller of the lighting system which allows the bulbs to "communicate" with Apple
HomeKit
Apple Home is a smart home platform developed by Apple Inc. that lets users configure, communicate with and control smart appliances using Apple devices. Apple Home communicates with devices using HomeKit, the software framework and communicati ...
and the app. In 2016,
Philips
Koninklijke Philips N.V. (), simply branded Philips, is a Dutch multinational health technology company that was founded in Eindhoven in 1891. Since 1997, its world headquarters have been situated in Amsterdam, though the Benelux headquarter ...
released a new square shaped v2 bridge with increased memory and processor speed which replaced the round v1 bridge. The first-generation bridge received a final software update in April 2020, and support from the Philips web servers was discontinued. Functionality including grouping lights into rooms and scheduling scenes that depended on Philips servers to pack the instructions into a form the bridge executed could no longer be created. Users of the earlier v1 bridge had to update to a v2 bridge to be able to control their configuration.
The Hue system was released in October 2012 on
Apple Store
The Apple Store is a chain of Retail, retail stores owned and operated by Apple Inc. The stores sell, service and repair various Apple products, including Macintosh, Mac desktop and MacBook laptop personal computers, iPhone smartphones, iPad ta ...
,
and was marketed as the first iOS-controlled lighting appliance.
Products released before 2019 use the
Zigbee Light Link protocol, a compatible subset of Zigbee 3.0, to communicate, while lighting products released later use either Bluetooth or Zigbee 3.0. Smart switches, motion detectors, and other accessory devices such as the Hue HDMI sync originally used only the Zigbee Home Automation protocol, but later supported Zigbee 3.0. Hue system components can be controlled over the Internet, typically by smartphone apps over cellular or WiFi networks, or a Home Automation voice command interface. Commands are delivered to the bridge via a wired Ethernet connection which transmits the commands to the devices over the Zigbee mesh network.
The initial system had bulbs capable of producing up to 600
lumens, a limit later increased to 1600 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 Philips announced outdoor sensors and lights.
Color ranges
Three different Philips Hue color types are available, all dimmable: White, White Ambiance, and White and Color Ambiance. The White bulbs produce white light with a
color temperature
Color temperature is a parameter describing the color of a visible light source by comparing it to the color of light emitted by an idealized opaque, non-reflective body. The temperature of the ideal emitter that matches the color most clos ...
of 2700 K (warm); the White Ambiance bulbs produce white light of color temperature adjustable between 2200 K (warm soft white) and 6500 K (daylight). The White and Color Ambiance range can generate white light adjustable from 2000 K to 6500 K, and also adjustable colored light.
Bulbs with Bluetooth
Since June 2019, all Philips hue bulbs support
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is li ...
through the Philips Hue Bluetooth app, so that a Philips Hue Bridge is no longer necessary for basic operation, though it enables further features. Up to ten bulbs can be controlled by Bluetooth (which requires location services to be enabled) over a range stated to be .
Use of the Hue Bridge enables control of up to 50 lights, assignation of room names, full voice control, configuration of Hue smart accessories, setting of timers and schedules, away-from-home control, routines to switch on and off, and synchronisation of lights with entertainment devices.
Security concern
A security flaw was found and resolved in 2016: the bulbs, and potentially other ZigBee devices, could be remotely controlled by anyone, using inexpensive equipment. Researchers tricked the lights into installing a malicious firmware update enabling them to be controlled from away.
Reception
In an article in ''
Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...
'', Seth Porges called Phillips Hue the "best product of 2012".
''
PC Magazine
''PC Magazine'' (shortened as ''PCMag'') is an American computer magazine published by Ziff Davis. A print edition was published from 1982 to January 2009. Publication of online editions started in late 1994 and continues .
Overview
''PC Mag ...
'' reviewed the white variation and named it as an editors' choice, saying it was bright and affordable and had many features.
Gallery
File:Hue E12.jpg, Hue candelabra lamp
File:Hue PAR.jpg, Hue sealed beam
A parabolic aluminized reflector lamp (PAR lamp or simply PAR) is a type of electric lamp that is widely used in commercial, residential, and transportation illumination. It produces a highly directional beam. Usage includes theatrical lighti ...
lamp
File:Hue BR.jpg, Hue floodlamp
File:Hue recessed.jpg, Hue recessed light
A recessed light or downlight (also pot light in Canadian English, sometimes can light (for canister light) in American English) is a light fixture that is installed into a hollow opening in a ceiling. When installed it appears to have light sh ...
File:Philips Hue Smart Dimmer Switch - June 2018 (1970).jpg, Philips Hue Dimmer Switch (1st generation) for wireless light control
File:Philips Hue Bridge - June 2018 (1986).jpg, Philips Hue Bridge (2nd generation): main control hub for all Philips bulbs, luminaries and accessories
References
External links
*
{{Philips
Philips Lighting products
Lighting
Home automation
Home automation companies
Proprietary hardware