The Philips Hue Bridge, a hub that connects Hue lights and accessories to your router, is now certified for Matter. The Hue Bridge still needs a software update to make your Hue lights work with Matter, and that update is due in the first quarter of next year.
Once your Hue Bridge is updated, practically all of your Hue devices, from colour A19 bulbs and white ambiance downlights to Hue smart plugs and buttons, will be compatible, meaning you’ll be able to configure and control them directly from your favourite smart home App.
Though you can control Hue lights from a wide range of smart Apps, from Amazon’s Alexa App and Google Home to Apple Home and Samsung SmartThings. But like other smart brands, Signify-owned Hue is prepping for a future in which (hopefully) the vast majority of smart home gear works with Matter, an ecosystem-unifying smart device platform that’s having its official kickoff today.
While the upcoming Hue Bridge update will make most Hue devices compatible with Matter, there are a couple of key exceptions.
Neither the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box, the gadget that syncs your Hue lights with the colours on your TV screen, nor the Hue Tap Dial Switch, a revamp of the old Hue Tap switch, will work with Matter following the update. Those types of smart devices aren’t supported by the current Matter version, according to Hue.
That said, upcoming Matter specifications are expected to support more types of smart devices. For now, Matter supports smart lights, thermostats, window shades, security sensors, door locks, TVs, and smart hubs,
Of course, it’s important to note that all Hue devices will continue to work normally regardless of their Matter status, meaning Hue Play HDMI Sync Box and Hue Tap Dial Switch users won’t notice any difference in functionality following the Matter update.
Ratified in October and backed by Amazon, Apple, Google, Samsung, and many other smart manufacturers, the long-awaited Matter standard should make it easier for a wide range of smart devices to work together across different smart home ecosystems.
