Google Hangouts, Philips Hue app updated for iPhone X

Developers on Tuesday continued efforts to support Apple's iPhone X, with Google updating its Hangouts chat app and Philips refreshing its Hue lighting control software to take advantage of the phone's edge-to-edge OLED screen.

Google lists one change, iPhone X optimization, in release notes accompanying Google Hangouts version 21.0.0.

Like other apps updated to support iPhone X, Hangouts now fills the handset's entire 5.8-inch screen instead of letterboxing content toward the middle of the display. Users also benefit from a full screen experience, which translates into more space for messages while keeping important GUI controls in place.

Today's Hangouts update is the latest Google-branded iOS title to receive optimizations for Apple's flagship iPhone. Last month, the search giant transitioned Maps to include support for iPhone X, while a December update brought similar functionality to Gmail. Other Google apps were recently updated for iPhone X, including Docs, Sheets, Slides, Calendar, Earth and Translate.

The latest Google Hangouts comes in at 99.9MB and can be downloaded for free from the iOS App Store.

Philips also pushed out an update for its Hue app on Tuesday that brings the title full-screen on iPhone X, granting users access to an expanded user interface with more room for color palettes, automation macros, scenes, individual device control sliders and more.

For example, with iPhone X compatibility, users can access controls for six devices, up from about five in previous app iterations.

In addition to iPhone X optimizations, the latest Hue version comes with unspecified bug fixes and stability improvements.

Hue version 2.18 is a free 108MB download from the App Store.

5 Comments

supadav03 503 comments · 10 Years

About 6 years ago

I bought a few Phillips hue bulbs but an having a hell of a time. Trying to get the bulbs to work with Alexa & HomeKit. Do I need to use the Hue app? Can I just use home kit? Should I name all bulbs, even if in the same fixture? So confusing. Both the Hue & Alexa app leave a lot to be desired. HomeKit app is great. Super simple & straight forward.

Muntz 26 comments · 7 Years

Lulz…google hangouts…

macxpress 5910 comments · 16 Years

supadav03 said:

I bought a few Phillips hue bulbs but an having a hell of a time. Trying to get the bulbs to work with Alexa & HomeKit. Do I need to use the Hue app? Can I just use home kit? Should I name all bulbs, even if in the same fixture? So confusing. Both the Hue & Alexa app leave a lot to be desired. HomeKit app is great. Super simple & straight forward.

You can use the home app if you have an AppleTV and I believe you need the Hue Bridge too. I don't think the Hue bulbs work without the Hue Bridge. The hell with the Alexa app. Just tell Siri what you want and it will do it. Works great for me. I can use say Hey Siri turn the bedroom lights on, or turn the bedroom lights on 50 and they'll go to 50%. Or, I can say turn the bedroom lights on green and they'll turn on and go green (assuming the have the colored LED bulbs). You can even setup Goodnight in the Home app on your phone and when you want to go to sleep you can just say like Hey Siri, Goodnight and it will perform whatever you have set for Goodnight. It works really well. I wouldn't mess with the stupid Alexa app.

boltsfan17 2294 comments · 12 Years

supadav03 said:

I bought a few Phillips hue bulbs but an having a hell of a time. Trying to get the bulbs to work with Alexa & HomeKit. Do I need to use the Hue app? Can I just use home kit? Should I name all bulbs, even if in the same fixture? So confusing. Both the Hue & Alexa app leave a lot to be desired. HomeKit app is great. Super simple & straight forward.

You need a bridge in order for the Hue bulbs to work. Within the Hue App, you can set it up to work with HomeKit. Once you get a hue bridge, just go into settings in the Hue App and you will see HomeKit & Siri settings.

Here is a link to the bridge:

https://www.amazon.com/Philips-Bridge-Compatible-HomeKit-Assistant/dp/B016H0QZ7I/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1513792409&sr=8-2&keywords=Hue+Bridge

or if you want it now, assuming you're in the US:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/philips-hue-bridge-2nd-generation-white/4684500.p?skuId=4684500

This is ONLY for the Phillips Hue product line. I wouldn't buy some other brand of bulbs or light accessories and expect it to work with this bridge.

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