Mention Philips Hue and chances are you will equate it with smart home lighting. Signify, the company behind the Philips Hue brand, recently introduced new light bulbs and lamps that were literally manufactured to help you fall asleep. Without further ado, here’s what the new products are all about.
The new Philips Hue Twilight bedside lamp arrives in white and black. It was developed to support the circadian rhythm. In other words, it was specially designed to help you experience a better transition between day and night. How does it do so? By suppressing the blue light spectrum, you can develop a stable sleep routine, fall asleep faster, and wake up well-rested from sleep, or at least that’s what the manufacturer claimed.
The lamp consists of two independently controllable light sources which can be combined into one unit for easier control via the app. The two light sources consist of a main light and a background light with integrated ColorCast technology. This is a three-part Philips Hue Twilight which can mimic a wide range of colors, including the rising and setting sun. This effect is projected onto the wall behind the lamp.
Premium bedside lamp
The lamp has two customizable buttons for control, which is unusual for the Hue brand. By virtue of having these two buttons, you can turn off the night light directly with a button without needing an additional remote control. This is in addition to commands within the Hue app, a smart home system, or a voice assistant.
Using one of the buttons, you can also cycle through six new light scenes inspired by nature, including “Wake up”, “Sleepy”, or “Nighttime”. The second button activates the Sunset Go sleep automation, simulating a sunset with a rich mixture of red tones.
The price of this new lamp is likely prohibitive: $279.99 for a bedside lamp is certainly not something that everyone would buy for their bedroom. The black version will only be available exclusively from Hue and not in stores at first, which further reduces any chance of a discount.
A new app feature
There is also automated wake-up which increases the brightness gradually. This is already available in the current app, but what’s new is sleep automation. Using this feature, you can gradually dim the lights so that you can fall asleep (which by the way, is also compatible with all existing bulbs). For instance, you can set the light in the children’s room to become darker each evening from 7:30 p.m. onward for 60 minutes until it is completely turned off.
More new Hue lamps: Lightstrip and flat ceiling lights
There were also new Hue Lightstrips variations revealed. These were previously available as gradient versions with a color gradient. Now, the classic Lightstrips are being released as Solo Lightstrips. They remain flexible and can be cut according to size, but they are not extendable and have a brightness of up to 1,700 lumens.
You can choose from lengths of three, five, or ten meters for the Solo Lightstrips. These pre-fabricated versions are cheaper than extending the previous Lightstrip. In addition, the 5-centimeter seam is eliminated. The three lengths cost $69.99 (3 meters), $89.99 (5 meters), and $159.99 (10 meters).
There are also new flat and partly affordable ceiling lights. The Philips Hue Tento ceiling light is slim and lightweight. Hue views the lamp as a ceiling light for the basement, storage room, or hallway. The white version is available for just under $70, but you can also buy the version that can display colors ($120) or a larger diameter (42.1 instead of 29.1 centimeters) by spending $200.
Not forgetting the Philips Hue Datura ceiling light that arrives without a frame and is particularly suitable for rooms with low ceilings. The ceiling panel has two independently controllable light sources that produce white and colored light. For instance, you can turn on a pleasant ambience light when walking through the apartment at night or create a setup suitable for watching movies. Be prepared to dig into your wallet, as the Datura will cost $299.99 and $399.99 for the different sizes.
Wiz sports a new party and Christmas tree light chain
The Wiz brand also belongs to Signify, being priced lower than the Hue range. There were also new products introduced, including new Lightstrips up to 30 meters long. What’s most interesting is a new light chain that can be used as party lighting during the summer and as outdoor Christmas lighting in the winter.
It features 160 mini LEDs measuring 20 meters and eight different color zones, allowing it to display static and dynamic light modes and color gradients. The light chain can be used indoors and outdoors with smart controls, allowing you to set it up on your balcony during Christmas.
Unfortunately, the Hue and Wiz are not compatible with each other. To do so, you will have to use Matter or rely on an ecosystem like Home Assistant. The light chain is expected to be available for $99.99.
All products are expected to be available over the coming days and weeks.
Do you plan to spruce up your home with some smart lighting to usher in some fun times? If you have other alternatives, why not let us know in the comments?
