Philips announces Hue Bridge 2.0 lights with HomeKit compatibility

This definitely smacks of the nifty.

Philips on Monday announced its first HomeKit-enabled product, the Hue Bridge 2.0, an updated version of its original Hue Bridge. With the Hue Bridge 2.0, its line of Philips Hue lights are able to work with Apple’s home automation platform, allowing all existing and future Hue bulbs to be controlled with Siri voice commands.

Spoken commands like “Turn lights red” can be used for specific colors, while commands like “Set the lamp to 30 percent” can be used for dimming. While users have long been able to use the Philips Hue app to set custom light sequences, these commands can now be spoken via Siri as well as control an entire household of lights with a single command.

The Hue app will be able to control the Hue line of lights, but won’t be able to control other HomeKit products. Hue lighting scenes will be made available in other HomeKit apps, however, so it is possible to group the Hue lights with other products, using one command to do things like unlock a door and turn on the lights at the same time.

The Hue Bridge 2.0 is priced at US$60, but customers who own an existing Hue Bridge can get it for US$40. The full lighting kit with new bulbs and the new bridge is priced at $200. All new Hue products are available beginning October 6 from Apple retail stores, Best Buy, and Amazon.

Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

Via MacRumors