Roger Fingas
Philips on Thursday announced an upcoming collection of Hue lights compatible with Apple's HomeKit, as well as three bigger Starter Kit bundles.
The main addition is the White Ambiance Cher Suspension, a 3,000-lumen fixture meant to sit over a kitchen area or dining table. The White Ambiance series lacks the full color-changing abilities of Philips's top-end bulbs, but does support a mix of warm and cool tones.
The White Ambiance downlight is intended for for recessed ceiling lights, and will be available in 4-inch and 5/6-inch versions, rated at 700 and 750 lumens respectively.
The downlight and the Cher Suspension fixture should both ship in October, at prices of $34.99 and $229.99. Also due that month is the $49.99 White and Color Ambiance candle bulb, which has an E12 base and provides dimmer 450-lumen output.
Coming sooner should be new White, White Ambiance, and White and Color Ambiance Starter Kits, all of which will have four A19 bulbs, plus the standard Hue bridge. The current White and Color kit comes with three bulbs, while the White Ambiance kit has two plus a dimmer switch — the basic White kit drops the switch as well.
The White and Color Ambiance kit will remain at roughly $200, but the cost of the White Ambiance bundle is rising from $129.95 to $149.99, and the White kit is jumping from $69.95 to $99.99.
Marko Zivkovic
Wesley Hilliard
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8 Comments
Why is everyone missing the more exciting news for current owners? HomeKit comparability with the accessories like the motion sensor and tap. Also an official sync app for syncing colours with movies and games.
https://www.engadget.com/2017/08/31/philips-hue-entertainment-lights-movies-games-music/
They are ripe to be displaced by a much more reasonably priced competitive solution.
I have no interest in Hue’s lamp fixtures which cannot match my own tastes and decor. What I want are brighter bulbs. It is odd to me that there aren’t any 1600 lumen smartbulbs yet. I’ve had 1600 lumen LED bulbs for years...
Dimness aside, I really like my Hue gear. Tho I stopped using their app and use Apple’s Home app to control them and program scenes now.