Signify today announced that it's going to be easier to get started with the Philips Hue line of lights thanks to a new standalone Bluetooth bulb offering.

The new Philips Hue with Bluetooth bulbs allow those who are newcomers to the Hue ecosystem to get started with a single light. Each of the Bluetooth bulbs can be controlled via an app using Bluetooth, with no need for the Philips Hue Bridge that's normally required for Hue lights.

philipshue
Using the new Philips Hue Bluetooth app, users can turn the lights on and off, dim the lights, set the lights to millions of colors or different shades of light, select pre-set scenes, and enable multiple users to control the lights.

There are three versions of the Bluetooth bulbs: White ($14.99), White Ambiance ($24.99), and White and Color Ambiance ($49.99). They're available in the A19 bulb shape and the BR30 downlight.

Because there's no bridge involved these standalone Bluetooth bulbs are not HomeKit enabled, but for people who purchase them and decide to then expand to a larger Hue ecosystem, the bridge can be added at a later date and the bulbs can be connected like any other existing Hue bulbs.

Philips Hue Bluetooth bulbs do work with Amazon Echo, Google Home, and Nest smart display even without the Philips Hue Bridge.

The new Philips Hue Bluetooth lights are available from the Philips Hue website and Amazon starting today.

Top Rated Comments

Mike MA Avatar
76 months ago
Get familiar with it if you don’t have already. For me Hue is the most useful HomeKit product.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CarlJ Avatar
76 months ago
It hurt me to read the work ‘bulb’ that many times when we’re obviously talking about led emitters.
If you screw it into a traditional light bulb socket, and it lights up... bulb is a reasonable - and quite understandable - term for it. You're not screwing in an LED emitter itself, you're screwing in a bulb-equivalent that contains an LED as its light source.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bbednarz Avatar
76 months ago
If they are the same price as the others wouldn't it make more sense to just make this be the only type of bulb they sell? Just build this into all the bulbs they sell moving forward.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Massy1989 Avatar
76 months ago
Choice is always good for the consumer. Way to go Philips for doing this.

Buying a 3 bulb and bridge combo pack is a big investment on something that many people unfamiliar with IoT wouldn't consider a high-confidence purchase. Buying at $15 bulb that connects to your phone and lets you control it? That's enough to start the Hue addiction.
[doublepost=1561643790][/doublepost]
If they are the same price as the others wouldn't it make more sense to just make this be the only type of bulb they sell? Just build this into all the bulbs they sell moving forward.
Maybe. I imagine it depends on cost to manufacture w/ and w/o the Bluetooth module and the demand between the two moving forward. I bet they just exhaust the existing supply of non-Bluetooth and move over to w/ Bluetooth model bulbs.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
railroader777 Avatar
76 months ago
It hurt me to read the work ‘bulb’ that many times when we’re obviously talking about led emitters.
Kind of redundant huh? Light emitting diode emitters??
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Solomani Avatar
76 months ago
This product is weird. Bluetooth-only and therefore it is "not HomeKit enabled"??? o_O

Ummm…. then another company has beaten you, Hue. It's Sylvania. Sylvania sells a Bluetooth LED smart-bulb that does not require a bridge/hub, and it also works with and is controlled by Apple HomeKit devices (such as an iPhone or a Mac). Again, the Sylvania bulb also does not require a router/hub/bridge. But it's completely made for Apple HomeKit. They've done it right. And their bulb was to market over a year ago.







Attachment Image
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
top stories 2025 04 19

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, CarPlay Bug Fix, and More

Saturday April 19, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
This week saw rumor updates on the iPhone 17 Pro and next-generation Vision Pro, while a minor iOS 18.4.1 update delivered not just security fixes but also a fix for some CarPlay issues. We also looked ahead at what else is in Apple's pipeline for the rest of 2025 and even the 20th-anniversary iPhone coming in 2027, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more! iPhone 17 ...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday April 15, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update. Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key...