The latest Philip Hue app update, version 5.39, is now available from download from both the iOS and Android stores. This update introduces brand-new scenes, each of which has a distinctive springtime-theme. All of the themes are available now in the Hue scene gallery, and you should be able to find them after you update your app.
The eight scenes are Nature’s colors, Precious, Narcissa, Baby’s breath, Crocus, Blossom, Spring lake, and Spring blossom. Various shades of pink, yellow, and green dominate the scenes, but the most impressive of all is the Nature’s colors option.
Its description says, “Bring the best of nature inside with this outdoors-inspired All-day scene, which transitions automatically throughout the day.” You’ll need more than one Hue light to get the full effect, though! It’s a great example of the newer 24-hour scenes, where the color changes depending on the time of day.
This is just the latest in a recent series of updates on Hue’s part. Several weeks ago, the company partnered with Samsung SmartThings to greatly enhance the Works With SmartThings lineup, and shortly after that, Hue leaked an upcoming smart doorbell in its own app. The company had faced criticism for what fans saw as stagnant development when, after being known for leading the charge in smart lighting when Hue first came onto the scene, announcements and updates began to slow.
The slew of announcements over the past several weeks feels like the start of a new era for Hue. The company has already proven itself capable of adapting to a changing market, and it’s exciting to see what smart-lighting innovations it’s still cooking up. Details on its smart doorbell are still tightly under wraps, so we don’t yet know the details on that front — but for now, we’ll settle for eight new scenes that are perfect for this time of year.