Philips Hue might be expanding its lineup to include a smart doorbell if a leak within the Hue iOS app is any indication. The iOS app added an option to install devices with or without a QR code. Choosing the latter option brings up a list of potential devices to install, including something called the “Hue Secure doorbell.”
That’s a pretty solid indicator that Philips Hue has something up its sleeve, although there’s yet to be an official announcement about the device. Until Hue provides specs, the best we can do is guess — but we can make a pretty solid guess based on the existing lineup.
Philips Hue already has its Secure Camera line: the Philips Hue Secure Flood Light Camera and the Secure Battery Camera. Both top out at 1080p, so we can assume the Hue Secure Doorbell will likely also support 1080p resolution, but not 4K. As for price, we wouldn’t be surprised to see it land around the $200 mark.
The app did reveal some information about the doorbell. Most likely, it will need to be connected to the home’s power supply instead of running on batteries. This means it will probably take the place of your doorbell. And since none of the other items in the Secure Camera line work with Apple HomeKit, this new entry isn’t likely to do so, either.
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This is an early leak, and it seems to have already been removed from the Hue app. We couldn’t find it during our testing. Thanks to some eagle-eyed enthusiasts, we have screenshots of the app screens. It’s possible this doorbell is an unannounced item intended to be part of the recent SmartThings collaboration. With any luck, Hue will make an official announcement regarding the doorbell soon.