Philips 'Hue' Receives Major Update With Geofencing, Visual Alerts, and More

Late last year, Philips launched its "Hue" lighting system, offering sets of wireless-enabled LED lightbulbs that allow users to remotely control their lighting, including adjusting to a rainbow of colors, from an iOS app. Hue has been exclusively sold through Apple's online and retail stores, and Philips has been working hard to both bring more features to the system and to open it up to developers to build even more functionality.

philips_hue_starter_pack_iphone
Philips today announced the "next phase" of Hue with a major update bringing a number of new features. Perhaps most interesting is integration with If This Then That (IFTTT) protocols to allow Hue to provide visual alerts for a wide variety of situations.

The next generation of the Hue app (version 1.1) can now hook up to your essential internet services via your smartphone or tablet, meaning your bulbs can act as indicators for weather, stock quotes, sports scores, email, social media and more. They can be set to behave in any way you choose. For example, to change color if it’s going to rain; to blink if you receive an urgent email, Facebook message from someone special; illuminate gradually as the sun sets; or even flash in your sports team’s colors when they score.

The new Version 1.1 of Hue also adds geofencing, automatically turning lights on as the user approaches their home and turning them off as they leave, as well as other customizable options. The update also brings recurring schedules, allowing users to simply set a schedule once and have it repeat each day.


Philips is also announcing an expansion in availability for its Hue lighting system, with a number of new outlets including Apple resellers and Amazon.com now offering starter packs and individual bulbs.

The Hue starter pack ($199.95) with core hardware and three bulbs and single bulbs ($59.95) are available through Apple. The Philips Hue universal app for iOS devices is a free download from the App Store. [Direct Link]

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro colors 1

Is Now the Time to Upgrade Apple Devices Before Tariffs Lead to Price Increases?

Friday April 4, 2025 3:41 pm PDT by
If you have an older Apple device that you've been considering upgrading, you're probably wondering how the newly announced tariffs might impact prices going forward, and whether it's worth buying now before there's a price hike. Given analyst and economist responses to the tariffs, market panic, and Trump's stance on the current financial chaos, the answer is that making a purchase...
Alleged iOS 19 Icons Front Page Tech

iOS 19 Leak Reveals Alleged New Design With Rounder App Icons, Floating Tab Bar, and More

Monday April 7, 2025 3:13 pm PDT by
YouTube channel Front Page Tech is back today with another video that provides a closer look at iOS 19's alleged design changes. The video contains re-created renders of iOS 19, which are allegedly based on real footage of the software update, provided by sources within Apple. Overall, iOS 19 is expected to have a more glass-like, visionOS-inspired design, with added translucency for user...
2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

iPhones Could Cost Up to $2,300 in the U.S. Due to Tariffs, Analyst Says

Friday April 4, 2025 9:30 am PDT by
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that steep tariffs will be applied to imports from many countries, starting April 9. The tariffs could have a significant impact on Apple, as the company assembles the majority of iPhones in China, and products imported to the U.S. from China will be subject to a 54% tariff. iPhone prices could increase by up to 43% in the U.S. due to the...
iPhone 17 Pro 3 4ths Perspective Aluminum Camera Module 1

iPhone 17 Pro's New Rear Camera Bar 'Same Color As Rest of Device'

Monday April 7, 2025 2:09 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models will feature a redesigned rear camera panel that spans the width of the device, but it will be the same color as the iPhone itself, rather than being part of a two-tone design. That's according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, the reporter says the iPhone 17 Pro won't have a two-toned back, as some renders have...
iOS 19 Mock WWDC25 Feature

iOS 19 Expected to Run on These iPhones

Monday March 31, 2025 5:28 pm PDT by
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past. The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected...
iphone x front back

Apple Planning 'Bold' New 20th Anniversary Design for 2027 iPhone Pro

Monday April 7, 2025 2:46 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "major shake-up" for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. iPhone X released in 2017 for 10th anniversary Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says that Apple plans to launch a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold" new iPhone Pro model that makes more extensive use of glass. Could this mean Apple plans to realize former...
top stories 2025 04 05

Top Stories: iOS 18.4 Released, New AirPods Max Features, and More

Saturday April 5, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
We're just two months away from WWDC where we'll get our first glimpses of iOS 19 and related updates, but this week saw the public release of iOS 18.4 with a number of changes and improvements including some audio improvements for the USB-C AirPods Max. This week also saw the first beta of iOS 18.5, a new rumor about iOS 19 compatibility, and Apple's work on haptic buttons that have yet to...
iOS 18

12 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.4

Tuesday April 1, 2025 4:06 am PDT by
Apple has released iOS 18.4, bringing further refinements to Apple Intelligence features, a neat new capability to iPhone 15 Pro devices, new emoji, and more. While not quite as packed with new features as Apple's preceding iOS 18 point releases, iOS 18.4 still introduces enhancements that aim to make your iPhone smarter and more intuitive. Below, we've listed 12 new things your ‌iPhone‌ ...

Top Rated Comments

MultiMediaWill Avatar
155 months ago
Still waiting for a price drop. Not paying $200 for light bulbs.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
xdhd350 Avatar
155 months ago
Gimmicky to some... life enabling to others. Think of someone who may be deaf. There have been lights for phone ringers for decades because it didn't require a whole lot of technology.

What if these could hook into an intelligent alarm system? Flashing some unique pattern to warn the deaf occupant of a time critical situation.

There is a multitude of good that this tech can be used for, beyond the gimmicky stuff.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jsameds Avatar
155 months ago
Enough of the gimmicky, useless technology crap.

Yep. Let's all go back to living in caves. We don't really need electricity, hot water, television, internet, fridge-freezers etc, do we?

:rolleyes:
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Shrink Avatar
155 months ago
I gotta get me some of these.

That is just cool.

Sonds great and I think this may fit well into my cool apartment.

I love it when companies do cool things with the iPhone.

I guess this whole thing is...er...cool, huh?:cool:
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Madhatter243x Avatar
155 months ago
Saving money is cool too.

Energy costs would be higher for traditional lighting sources base on the US average of $0.12 per kWh.

If I had 6 (8.5-Watt) Light Emitting Diode Lamps (hue LED) in my TV room:
6 x 8.5W bulbs = 51 Watts total (when all are on)
51 Watts x 4 hours (approx. usage) = 204 Watt hours per day or /1000 = 0.204 kWh (kilowatt hours) per day.
0.204 kWh x 365 days per yr = 74.46 kWh per yr at $0.12 per kWh = $8.94 per yr in electricity for that room.

If I had 6 (60-Watt) Incandescent lamps (INC) in my TV room:
6 x 60W per lamp = 360 Watts total (when all are on)
360 Watts x 4 hours (approx. usage) = 1440 Watt hours per day or /1000 = 1.4 kWh (kilowatt hours) per day.
1.4kWh x 365 days per yr = 525.6kWh per yr at $0.12 per kWh = $63.07 per yr in electricity for that room.


Cost of replacement should be taken into account.
Based on a usage of approximately 4 hours per day at 365 days per yr = 1460 hours
I would replace an INC lamp (standard 60W w/1,000 hours life span) about 3 times every 2 years at about $1.50 per lamp.
I would replace a hue LED lamp (LED 8.5W w/15,000 hours life span) 1 time every 10 years at about $60 per lamp.*
* Philips mentions 15 years but that’s based on about 3 hours of use per day times 365 days per yr = 1095kWh.
My calculations are based on an hour of higher usage per day.

In 10 years I would have gone through 30 INC lamps at a cost of $45 x 6 lamps in the room = $270 (90 lamps in total)
In 10 years I would have gone through 1 hue LED lamp kit at a cost of $200 (includes 3 lamps) + $180 ($60 for each additional lamp) = $380 (for 6 lamps in total)


So lets do the math…
For INC lamps: $270 in lamp replacements over 10 years + 10 years of $63.07 in electricity costs = $900.70
For hue LED lamps: $360 for entire room for 10 years + 10 years of $8.94 in electricity costs = $449.40

The Philips hue is half the price of using INC lamps with ten times the coolness factor.
I have it... I use it... I like it!
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tigres Avatar
155 months ago
I gotta get me some of these.

That is just cool.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)