Philips Hue is out with a slew of announcements today, headlined by the launch of its first-ever Philips Hue Secure cameras and a Matter update for its Hue Bridge. There are also new Festavia string lights, updates to the Philips Hue app, and more.
Philips Hue Secure cameras
First up is a pair of Philips Hue Secure cameras, marking the company’s first foray into the smart camera market. The Philips Hue Secure camera is available in two versions, including a standard model and a floodlight camera designed specifically for outdoor use.
Philips Hue says that both versions of the Philips Hue Secure cameras can be used indoors or outdoors, but the floodlight model is “specifically developed for outdoor use” thanks to its integration of that dedicated light.
The Philips Hue Secure cameras offer 1080p resolution with night vision support. There are also built-in microphones for two-way communication, motion detection features, and end-to-end encryption support:
Philips Hue Secure cameras feature a clear 1080p HD video feed with night vision to help you monitor your home in real time and trigger instant motion notifications. You can help deter intruders with the unique combination of Philips Hue lights and sound alarms, or you can activate two-way talk to ask a delivery person to leave a package or just say “Hi!” to a friendly face.
Philips Hue cameras feature end-to-end encryption by default, ensuring any video clips, snapshots, and live view remain private. Specifically, the capability to recognize whether a notification is triggered by a person, a pet or a package runs on the camera itself instead of the cloud, which means end-to-end encryption is always enabled.
Philips Hue is offering both wired and battery-powered versions of its new cameras as well as an optional “convenient desktop stand.” There’s also an optional “Secure camera mount with a ground spike” that can be integrated with other Philips Hue low-voltage outdoor systems.
Here’s a breakdown of the different pricing and configuration options for the Philips Hue Secure cameras:
- Philips Hue Secure wired camera in black or white (available Fall 2023) – $199.99 / $229.99 with desktop stand
- Philips Hue Secure battery camera in black or white (available Fall 2023) – $249.99
- Philips Hue Secure floodlight camera in black (available Q1 2024) – $349.99
- Philips Hue Secure camera mount with ground spike (available Fall 2023) – $39.99
- Philips Hue Secure desktop stand in black and white (available Fall 2023) – $49.99
- Philips Hue Secure low-voltage outdoor charging cable (available Fall 2023) – $29.99
- Philips Hue Secure anti-drop cable (available Fall 2023) – $14.99
In addition to the price of the hardware itself, you’ll also need a subscription to use the Philips Hue Secure cameras:
- Philips Hue Secure Basic plan with 30-day video history (available Fall 2023) – $3.99 per camera per month or $39.99 per camera per year
- Philips Hue Secure Plus plan with 60-day video history (available Fall 2023) – $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year for multiple cameras
Finally, you’ll also need a Philips Hue Bridge to use the new cameras (assuming you don’t already have one). That’ll cost you another $60.
Philips Hue Secure contact sensor
Philips Hue is also launching new contact sensors as part of today’s announcements. These contact sensors, like other smart sensors, can be placed on things like doors, windows, and cabinets. Through the Philips Hue app, you can receive “real-time notifications when the contact sensor is opened or closed.”
- Philips Hue Secure contact sensor in black or white (available Fall 2023) – $39.99 (1-pack) / $69.99 (2-pack)
Updates to the Philips Hue app
In line with the new contact sensors and camera hardware, Philips Hue has also announced a new “Security Center” feature for its iPhone app. Through the Security Center, you can manage settings for the cameras and contact sensors, set up automation, and manage notifications.
The Philips Hue app now features the new Security Center to control your smart home security system. When you receive a notification, you can tap it to open the app. From the Take Action screen, you can manually trigger an alarm that flashes your lights, sound the siren on your Secure camera, or call the local authorities or a trusted contact.
Using the Philips Hue app, you can personalize your camera settings. Create Blackout zones, which make certain areas of the video feed private, or Activity zones, which prevent areas from sending notifications — particularly useful for busy sidewalks in front of the house. Users can arm and disarm the system, set up special armed states for whether they are home or away, review a timeline of events, and more.
Unfortunately, this also means that the new Philips Hue Security cameras lack support for Apple’s HomeKit platform and HomeKit Secure Video. Instead, the system is managed entirely through the Philips Hue app itself.
Matter update
Philips Hue has also announced that it will begin rolling out Matter support to the Philips Hue Bridge next month. Matter is the smart home standard that aims to improve interoperability between different platforms such as HomeKit, Google Home, and Amazon Alexa.
Practically speaking, this won’t have an impact on most Philips Hue users. Philips Hue products already support the major smart home platforms. It could, however, offer some improvements to reliability and speed when interacting with other Matter accessories, but the jury is still out on just how much of a boost we’ll see.
The Matter standard does not yet support security cameras, which means the Hue Bridge adding Matter support will have no impact on the lack of HomeKit support for its new cameras.
More
Finally, Philips has a few other ancillary announcements to share today, starting with a new generation of the Philips Hue Festavia string lights:
A new generation of the popular Philips Hue Festavia string lights will launch — and it can be used both indoors and outdoors. The new string lights come in three varieties: 100 LEDs along an 8-meter cord, 250 LEDs along a 20-meter cord, and 500 LEDs along a 40-meter cord. Three new light effects, specially made for Festavia, will be available in the Philips Hue app: Prism, Glisten, and Opal. These effects will also be available for first-generation Festavia string lights, while the Prism effect will be available for all Philips Hue color-capable lights.
Philips Hue Perifo track lighting:
Perifo is a new line from Philips Hue that comprises individual rails and lights that fit together to make a fully customizable track. You choose the layout, length of the track, and light fixtures to get full control over the way you light your home. The track can be attached to the wall by plugging in the power supply or on the ceiling by wiring it directly into your home’s electricity. Choose from pendants, spotlights, light bars, and light tubes and click them easily into the track. Available in black or white, Perifo is available as separate components or preselected into kits.
Philips Hue Centris:
Philips Hue Centris is a unique and innovative combination ceiling spotlight that features colorful light. The diffused main ceiling light illuminates the whole room, while 350-degree adjustable spotlights can be angled to highlight parts of the room. Each light can be set and controlled individually with the Philips Hue app.
Philips Hue MR16 smart bulb:
The new Philips Hue MR16 smart bulb brings Philips Hue smart lighting to conventional spotlights anywhere in the home. The bulb works on the same 12 V low voltage as standard MR16 bulbs, making them compatible with most transformers. Featuring a bi-pin base and standard width, these bulbs fit perfectly both in size and style into most existing fixtures.
And pricing:
- Philips Hue Festavia string lights (available September 2023) – $119.99 (100 LEDs) / $219.99 (250 LEDs) / $359.99 (500 LEDs)
- Philips Hue MR16 White Ambiance and White and Color Ambiance (available September 2023) – $99.99 (2-pack White and Color Ambiance)
- Philips Hue Perifo track lighting in white and black (available September 2023) – $19.99 to $299.99
- Philips Hue Centris in white (available September 2023 ) and black (available Fall 2023) – $309.99 (2-spot) / $489.99 (4-spot)
9to5Mac’s Take
I’ll reserve final judgment for when I get my hands on the new Philips Hue Secure cameras, but my first impression is that Signify missed the mark here. The hardware prices are high, the accessory prices are high, you’ll need a Philips Hue Bridge, and you’ll need a monthly subscription.
Not to mention, the lack of HomeKit and HomeKit Secure Video support is going to be a deal breaker for many people.
Philips Hue is also very, very late to this market. There are countless other smart home cameras already on the market – including ones that support HomeKit Secure Video at a fraction of the price.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments