The Philips Hue app has gotten more than just a fresh coat of paint. Signify, formerly known as Philips Lighting, has launched a new version of the smart lighting app, taking all the familiar features and interfaces and rebuilding it from the ground up, according to The Verge. It retains a somewhat familiar face for those accustomed to the product but comes with a wealth of tweaks that make specific options easier to access and use. Philips Hue light sources with color-changing capabilities are a common entry-level option for consumers seeking an introduction to wellness/human-centric lighting/Circadian rhythm lighting.
Perhaps the biggest addition is the ability to tap into all lights within a room with the “Rooms” feature. When keying into a room, users are now presented with a grid of all lights present within the area as well as a variety of lighting scenes crafted from Hue’s lighting experts. Users then have the freedom to create and edit groups of lights while also being able to add new lights from the Room tab. There is even seamless interfacing with other Philips Hue bridges all at the press of the button on the main screen.
Perhaps the largest change, overall, however, has come in the form of the Routines tab now being replaced with the Automations tab. Advanced options for turning lights on and off now offer great customization for people looking to properly light their homes. Thanks to the new multi-user geofencing feature, the app can take into consideration whether or not someone is home before triggering specific lighting routines. For instance, the “leaving home” automations won’t shut off all the lights in the house if it detects someone is in the room. Likewise, “coming home” will refrain from turning on the lights if it picks up that nobody is there to enjoy the welcome, providing energy-efficient lighting for homeowners.
Signify has even promised “dynamic scenes” this summer, that will allow more dynamic lighting options to pair in tune with the automation systems.