Philips Hue Unveils Major Smart Home Overhaul: Motion-Sensing Bulbs, Smart Doorbell, Cheaper Lights, and More
Philips Hue just dropped one of its biggest updates ever, introducing a new Bridge Pro, a motion-sensing upgrade for existing bulbs, a high-resolution smart doorbell, cheaper lighting options, and a refreshed line of light strips.
Hue Bridge Pro Turns Bulbs Into Motion Sensors
The centerpiece of the announcement is the Hue Bridge Pro — a $90 hub that not only delivers faster performance but also transforms existing Hue bulbs into motion sensors. That means no extra hardware is needed to detect movement in a room; your bulbs themselves can now trigger lighting automations.
The Bridge Pro isn’t just about motion sensing. It brings several enhancements aimed at power users:
- Support for up to 150 lights and 50 accessories (3× more than the current bridge).
- Over 500 custom lighting scenes stored locally for instant access.
- Wi-Fi connectivity (2.4GHz), eliminating the need to sit directly next to a router.
- Improved performance thanks to a faster processor and more memory.
And to ease the transition, Philips Hue has built a migration tool that automatically transfers all device configurations from an old bridge to the Pro. Multi-bridge households will also be able to consolidate setups into a single Bridge Pro by the end of the year.
Hue Secure Smart Doorbell: Taking on Ring and Nest
After months of leaks, Philips Hue finally confirmed its first smart doorbell: the Hue Secure Doorbell.
Designed to compete directly with Ring and Nest Hello, the Hue doorbell features a 2K fisheye camera and — in a rare move for the smart home market — 24-hour video history included without requiring a subscription.
The doorbell integrates tightly with Hue lighting:
- Trigger outdoor lights when someone approaches.
- Activate indoor lights as visual alerts in addition to chimes.
The Hue Secure Doorbell launches in the US, Europe, and UK next month for $170, though Apple HomeKit support won’t be available at launch (Philips Hue says it’s coming later).
Hue Essential Lights: Affordable Smart Bulbs
In a clear attempt to compete with budget rivals, Philips Hue is rolling out the new Hue Essential series.
Key details:
- White bulbs start at just $20 each when bought in a 4-pack.
- Color bulbs are priced at $24.99 individually or $59.99 per 4-pack.
- Same Hue software and connectivity, but with a smaller white spectrum and slightly reduced brightness compared to premium bulbs.
Coming in December 2025, the Hue Essential lineup will expand to include:
- Essential Lightstrip (5m or 10m) starting at $59.99.
- Essential Flex Lightstrip starting at $99.99, a flexible adaptation of the Ambiance Gradient Lightstrip.
New & Brighter Light Strips
For those wanting more customization, Philips Hue announced five new high-end light strips with closer LED spacing for more uniform brightness and easier installation around corners.
- Hue OmniGlow Lightstrip (3/5/10m) – from $139.99, launches Nov 2025 (US & EU).
- Hue Flux Gradient Lightstrip (3–10m) – from $69.99, launches Oct 2025 (EU) and Mar 2026 (US).
- Hue Flux Ultra Bright Gradient Lightstrip (3/5/10m) – from $99.99, launches Oct 2025 (EU).
- Hue Flux Gradient Outdoor Lightstrip (5–10m) – from $149.99, launches Oct 2025 (EU), Mar 2026 (US).
- Hue Neon Gradient Outdoor Lightstrip (3–10m) – from $139.99, launches Oct 2025 (EU), Mar 2026 (US).
Outdoor Festavia Globe String Lights
Finally, Philips Hue is expanding its popular Festavia series with outdoor-ready Globe string lights:
- Available in 7, 14, and 21 meters.
- With power supply: from $159.99.
- Without power supply: from $129.99.
- Replacement 2-pack bulbs: $19.99.
The 7-meter version ships this September, with longer sets arriving in December.
Why This Matters
Philips Hue is positioning itself as not just a smart lighting brand, but a full smart home ecosystem rivaling Amazon, Google, and Ring. With a mix of affordable entry-level products (Hue Essential), high-performance upgrades (Bridge Pro, new light strips), and new categories (doorbell, outdoor lighting), the company is expanding into every corner of the connected home.
For existing Hue users, the appeal is clear: invest in one brand, and you get a seamless ecosystem where every light, accessory, and sensor works together.
With this launch, Philips Hue is moving beyond mood lighting — and firmly into smart home security and automation.