The rumor mills are always active, speculating about various topics, ranging from celebrity gossip to apocalyptic predictions. Even the smart home sector isn’t immune to these rumors.
At one point, there were rumors circulating about Samsung SmartThings possibly being phased out. More recently, the buzz has been about whether Philips is discontinuing its popular product line, Philips Hue. Philips Hue has become a household name and an integral part of millions of smart homes worldwide. The question that arises is whether Philips would really discontinue such a well-established product.
While some Philips Hue products experienced temporary stock shortages during the pandemic, and certain items like the Hue Bridge version 1 have been discontinued, it’s important to clarify that Philips/Signify has no plans to discontinue the entire Hue range. The Philips Hue product line is here to stay, ensuring continued support and availability for its millions of customers around the world.
What Is Philips Hue?
Philips Hue stands as one of the most popular and renowned brands in the realm of smart lighting. Their extensive product line is primarily recognized for its smart bulbs, available in various sizes, and capable of displaying an impressive range of colors.
Beyond their exceptional smart bulbs, Philips Hue also offers light strips suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. A notable highlight is their high-quality gradient light strips, which not only display a single solid color but gradually transition through a range of colors along the strip.
All of these lighting products utilize the Zigbee wireless communication protocol. Unlike Wi-Fi, Zigbee operates on a mesh network, where nodes (such as the lighting products themselves, i.e., bulbs) connect to one another in a chain-like fashion. This mesh network design enhances communication reliability and extends the range of coverage.
In the Hue Zigbee system, the lighting products act as nodes and work in conjunction with the Hue app through the Hue Bridge. The Bridge is a necessary component for using Hue smart lights as it translates signals between Zigbee and Wi-Fi, enabling seamless communication with the Hue app, where users have control over their lights.
One of the impressive features of Philips Hue is the ability to customize lighting themes that match the time of day or create an ambiance suitable for relaxation. Additionally, Philips Hue integrates well with popular smart home hubs like Alexa and Google Home, facilitating seamless coordination among various smart home devices.
Rumours about Philips Hue Discontinued
The rumors surrounding the potential discontinuation of Philips Hue have been fueled by several factors:
- Supply Issues: During the pandemic, some Philips Hue products, particularly certain A19 and E26 white and color ambiance bulbs, became difficult to find. Such scarcity of products often raises concerns among users about the company’s stability.
- Hue Bridge v.1 Announcement: Philips Hue announced the upcoming end of support for the Hue Bridge v.1, leading users to worry about losing updates and mobile app support. This announcement raised questions about the future of other products in the Philips Hue lineup.
- Zigbee and Matter Compatibility: Some users were concerned about the future of Philips Hue, a Zigbee-based product, in light of the Matter protocol, which aims to unify communication protocols but doesn’t prioritize Zigbee as one of its core technologies.
- Company Name Change: In 2018, Philips Lighting changed its name to Signify, leading to speculation about the fate of the Philips Hue brand. However, Philips Hue remains a product line under the parent company Signify, along with other brands like Wiz.
Despite these incidents and rumors, there is no concrete evidence to support the claim that Philips Hue is being discontinued. The company has clarified that it is not discontinuing the entire Hue range and that the product line is here to stay. While certain product models and older versions like Hue Bridge v.1 might have been discontinued, the overall Philips Hue ecosystem remains intact, providing continued support and availability for its customers.
Is Philips Hue Really Being Discontinued?
In a nutshell, Philips Hue is not being discontinued, and there are several reasons to support this conclusion:
- Popularity and Profitability: Philips Hue is one of the most popular brands of smart home lighting, serving millions of customers worldwide. The company continually introduces new products that attract eager buyers, indicating a successful and profitable business model.
- Supply Issues and Pandemic Impact: Like many other products during the pandemic, some Hue products experienced supply issues. However, these challenges were temporary and have improved over time. Supply chain disruptions during the pandemic affected numerous industries, but it does not imply an impending business closure.
- Hue Bridge v.1 and Matter Compatibility: While support for the Hue Bridge v.1 has been removed, the Hue Bridge v.2 is fully functional and receiving regular updates. Philips Hue has taken steps to ensure compatibility with Matter through a software upgrade to the Bridge, even though Zigbee (used in Hue) is not directly supported by Matter.
With the evidence suggesting that Philips Hue is not facing discontinuation, it’s evident that they are striving to adapt and remain part of the evolving smart home industry.
Regarding specific products, it’s essential to note that some older models like the Hue Bridge v.1 have been discontinued. However, the overall Philips Hue product line remains active and continues to introduce new innovations and updates.
What has then Philips Hue Discontinued?
While Philips Hue as a brand has not been discontinued, certain devices and products have been discontinued over the years. One notable example is the Hue Bridge version 1, for which support and updates were terminated as of April 30th, 2020. Online support for the Hue Bridge v.1 was also discontinued at that time. Furthermore, as of April 30th, 2022, support for the Hue Bridge v.1 mobile app has been discontinued as well.
Such decisions are common in the technology industry as companies make adjustments to support and improve newer devices. Older technology may become outdated and difficult to update, which prompts companies like Philips Hue to discontinue older products and focus their resources on developing newer ones. This enables them to keep up with technological advancements and deliver better products to their customers.
For instance, the Hue Lux line, which was the first generation of bulbs designed to work with the Hue Bridge v.1, has been officially discontinued. It has been replaced with newer bulbs that have become popular choices among Hue users today. These updates and adjustments ensure that Philips Hue remains at the forefront of smart home lighting technology and continues to offer innovative and high-quality products to its customers.
What Will Happen If Philips Hue Is Discontinued?
Indeed, if hypothetically Philips Hue were to be discontinued, it would have significant implications for the millions of homes that currently own Philips Hue products. Owners of numerous bulbs, each costing around $30, would find themselves with a substantial investment in products that they could no longer use to their full potential. Without the necessary connectivity to the Hue Bridge and the Hue app, the bulbs may only function as standard bulbs that can be turned on and off manually, losing their special color-changing and theme features.
Additionally, voice commands through cloud-based voice assistants like Amazon Echo, which are currently paired with Philips Hue, would also become ineffective without cloud control. However, offline control via ZigBee-based controllers like HomeAssistant and Hubitat would still work, providing some level of functionality.
Pre-setup Hue accessories such as the dimmer switch and motion sensor, which use ZigBee for direct communication with Hue lights, would continue to work without issue.
For homes with Bluetooth models of Hue products, there might be less disruption initially, as they don’t require a Hue Bridge. Instead, users can directly control these devices through the Hue Bluetooth app. However, without updates to the devices or app, the functionality of Bluetooth models would eventually become limited and obsolete.
Thankfully, this hypothetical scenario is not a reality. Philips Hue, under the parent company Signify, is a thriving brand and will continue to provide top-tier lighting products for modern smart homes for years to come. Customers can rest assured that their investment in Philips Hue products will continue to be supported and updated, ensuring a seamless smart home lighting experience.
Wrapping it up
Despite the rumors about Philips Hue being discontinued, the brand is here to stay. While supply issues and the discontinuation of the Hue Bridge v.1 may have caused some concerns, Philips Hue remains committed to providing high-quality smart lighting solutions to its millions of customers worldwide.
The introduction of Matter support further solidifies Philips Hue’s position in the market. With Matter support, Philips Hue is fully integrated into the evolving smart home ecosystem and will continue to thrive, offering innovative and reliable products to its loyal customer base.
Rest assured, Philips Hue’s dedication to excellence and continuous improvement ensures that it will remain a prominent player in the smart home lighting industry, delivering top-tier lighting solutions for years to come.
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