Philips Hue parent company Signify has launched its next major update for Philips Hue App with full global roll out to be completed over the next week. By the time you read this, it should be out. Go update. It’s there. It’s sexy, and I don’t just mean aesthetically.
It actually looks new very similar to the previous version but sexier because of the easier navigation and quicker access to the most basic controls. There is nothing sexier than a software update that makes life easier, more streamlined, and more simplified.
Along with improved app performance and aesthetic tune up, one of the bigger changes is faster access to room controls. Upon opening the app, you are greeted with a familiar home tab view with different tab names and options. Now, when you tap on a room or zone, a new tile view layout of all the available scenes and lights appears. Previously, it was such a cluster f**k because you had to switch between tabs, risking getting lost.
A new “automation” tab replaces the “routines” tab offering more advanced options and intuitive controls. Now, all won’t go to sh*t when the head of the home leaves and shuts the lights off on everyone else left in the home. Sorry everyone else, The Queen has left (that’s me “The Queen”), so fu*k you and whatever you were doing. Everyone can now trigger the home/away status, meaning Jon won’t have the lights shut off in the middle of a turd drop every time I leave. I messed around with it and can attest that this is, in fact, a more streamlined process providing a smoother user experience through and through.
Another cool thing I should mention is if you have multiple Hue bridges, you can now switch from bridge to bridge a little bit easier, straight from the Home Tab. This is the feature I’m most excited about because of the ungodly amount of Hue bulbs we have at home. Seriously, it’s ridiculous. If I keep bringing bulbs home I won’t have a home to install them in. I’m willing to bet I’ve spent a mortgage payment (or two) on the damn bulbs and their accessories.
Something to look forward to is a new feature called Dynamic Scenes that’s set to launch by summer of this year. Essentially, it changes your lights over time instead of remaining a single stagnant color.
With this feature, each of the lights in the Room or Zone will slowly transition through the different colors of the dynamic scene. Instead of each light staying at only one color, dynamic scenes introduce a new level of unique light effects — and create an atmosphere unlike any other.
-Signify
While all this is pretty neat, it’s still far from perfect. For example, the placement of Hue Labs was awkwardly embedded into the “automations” tab and navigation continues to be a bit more daunting than other third party apps.
So is it sexy enough to rip me away from apps like “iConnect” and “On Switch” or Apple’s native home app? Not quite. We’ll see after some updates.
