Signify, the company behind Philips Hue, has just launched over 10 new products, including the long-awaited Philips Hue Bridge Pro, seamless light strips, a video doorbell, and heaps of smart bulbs. The event took place in Berlin, near the IFA trade show, and according to Signify, it was the biggest launch in Hue’s history.
Here you’ll find a complete guide to all the biggest launches, but it wasn’t just about hardware. Signify also announced a new partnership with Sonos, which will let you use your Sonos smart speaker to control your Hue lights with voice commands.
We also learned about some extra features coming to Philips Hue Secure, including free 24-hour video playback (previously only available to paid subscribers), the ability to recognize smoke alarm signals and respond with emergency light alerts, and (coming next year) AI-powered facial recognition.
Now, on with the products that’ll be lighting up your home very soon…
Philips Hue Bridge Pro
What is the Philips Hue Bridge Pro?
The Philips Hue Bridge Pro is a new hub for connecting your Philips Hue devices. It can support three times as many smart lights and sensors as the previous model, and can turn your Hue lights into motion sensors without any extra hardware.
The Bridge Pro can support over 150 lights (compared to just 50 for the Philips Hue Bridge V2) and 50 accessories. It looks set to be a game-changer for people with large houses, who could easily exceed the previous limit, and would require two or more bridges to accommodate all their devices. It can also store up to 500 scenes
The Hue Bridge Pro can also turn your Hue bulbs and other devices into motion sensors, without the need for any extra hardware. This technology (which is very similar to something we saw demonstrated in a video by the Communication Standards Alliance back in January) is called MotionAware, and will work with almost all existing Philips Hue bulbs and lights that are connected to a Bridge Pro, not just new ones.
The principle is quite simple. Like previous Philips Hue Bridges, the Pro uses the Zigbee wireless protocol to connect all your Hue devices in a mesh network. By detecting disruptions in the signal as it’s sent between devices, the Bridge Pro can determine whether a person has entered the area. It’s recommended that you have at least three Hue lights in the room to allow the system to accurately triangulate your position.
MotionAware can be used to trigger automations (so the lights turn on if you enter a room, for example) or for security (so you receive an alert through the Philips Hue app if unexpected movement is detected).
Another difference between the Philips Hue Bridge Pro and its predecessor is that you no longer have to connect it to your router using an Ethernet cable. That’s still an option, but if you prefer, you can use Wi-Fi instead, which gives you more choice about where you use it.
If you already have a Philips Hue setup and want to upgrade to the Bridge Pro, there’s good news and (slightly) bad news. The good news is that you can migrate your settings from one Philips Hue Bridge V2 directly to the Bridge Pro, including all your devices, zones, and rooms.
The not-so-great news is that, if you have multiple bridges, you’ll have to wait a while before you can merge them all and port everything over to a Bridge Pro en masse. It’s likely to be a few months before this is made possible via a software update, but it makes sense that Signify wants to get it right. You don’t want to have to add over a hundred lightbulbs back one by one. The update should be released before the end of the year.
(New to Hue and not sure exactly what a Bridge is? Take a look at our guide what is a Philips Hue Bridge and why is it important for your smart lights.)
What does the Philips Hue Bridge Pro cost?
The Philips Hue Bridge Pro will go on sale in the USA and UK in September, priced at $89.99 / £79.99. The release date and price for Australia are yet to be announced.
Philips Hue Essential
What is Philips Hue Essential?
Philips Hue Essential is a collection of smart light bulbs and strips, which offer a more affordable entry point to the world of smart lighting than the company’s original lights. Essential bulbs aren’t quite as bright as their classic counterparts, and can’t be dimmed quite so low.
According to Signify, their specifications are similar to other smart lights on the market, but with the advantage that they’re a fully supported part of the Philips Hue system.
Like regular Philips Hue bulbs, you can control their basic functions from your phone via Bluetooth, or use a Philips Hue Bridge to unlock advanced features like scenes and automations, and the ability to trigger lights with timers, switches, and sensors. If you have a Philips Hue Bridge Pro, you can use Hue Essential lights as motion detectors.
Right now, the Essential range includes A19 bulbs, GU10 spotlights, a strip light, and a flexible strip light. These can be bought individually, in multipacks, or as starter kits that also include a Philips Hue Bridge V2. There are also Philips Hue Essential starter kits that include a switch as well as the Bridge.
What do Philips Hue Essential lights cost?
Philips Hue Essential A19 bulbs, Strip Lights, and Flex Strip Lights will be available from September in the US and UK. A19 bulbs will start at $24.99 / £19.99 each, Strip Lights will start at $59.99 / £49.99, and Flex Strip Lights will start at $99.99 / £84.99.
GU10 spotlight bulbs will also go on sale in the UK in September, starting at £19.99 when bought individually.
We don’t yet have details for GU10 spotlights in the US, and there are currently no prices or release dates for Philips Hue Essential products in Australia.
Philips Hue OmniGlow
What is Philips Hue OmniGlow?
There are several new Philips Hue light strips, the most interesting of which is called OmniGlow, which Signify describes as its first “perfectly spot-free strip”. That means you can’t make out individual LEDs along the strip’s length, which will be great news to anyone who likes the idea of a gradient light strip but doesn’t want to fit a plastic diffuser over the top.
OmniGlow can emit up to 900 lumens per meter, which means it’s not just decorative; you could also use it for functional lighting along a staircase, for example. Each strip is packed with tiny high-performance LEDs less than 0.5mm across. They can be dimmed as low as 0.5%, and have the same color accuracy as other Philips Hue lights.
Signify also showed off two new Philips Hue Flux indoor light strips (regular and extra bright), a Flux outdoor strip light, and a Neon outdoor strip light, which you can bend into different fun shapes.
Want regular bulbs? There are new A19 and E27 bulbs in both the White Ambiance and White and Color Ambiance series. Confused? Our complete guide to the different types of Philips Hue lights explains it all.
What does the Philips Hue OmniGlow cost?
The Philips Hue OmniGlow will be available in the US from October, with prices starting at $139.99 for a three-meter strip. It will go on sale in the UK at some point between October and December, and a three-meter strip will cost £119.99.
We don’t yet have a release date for the Philips Hue OmniGlow in Australia, but when it does launch, prices will start at $139.99 for three meters.
Philips Hue Secure Video Doorbell
What is the Philips Hue Secure Video Doorbell?
The latest addition to the Philips Hue Secure lineup of cameras and sensors is a video doorbell, which has a 2K resolution and captures head-to-toe footage so you can get a clear view of visitors and any packages they might leave on your doorstep.
Those specifications are typical for a mid-range video doorbell (take a look at my roundup of the best video doorbells to get an idea of what other companies are offering), but the difference with the Hue model is that it integrates seamlessly with your smart lights. For example, you can use the Philips Hue app to trigger your outdoor lights when someone rings the bell, or when it detects motion.
There’s also a separate chime available, which you can plug in for an audible alert anywhere in your home when someone calls, and a wired indoor security camera with 2K resolution.
You can watch footage from your doorbell or camera live on your phone, and later this year, Signify will let you review videos from the last 24 hours for free. If you want to store your clips for longer than that, you’ll need a paid Hue Secure subscription plan.
What does the Philips Hue Secure Video Doorbell cost?
The Philips Hue Secure Video Doorbell and Smart Chime will be available in the US and UK from October 2025. The doorbell will cost $169.99 / £139.99, and the chime will cost $59.99 / £49.99. Signify hasn’t yet released any details for Australia.
