While our smart home is based on Apple HomeKit, we're trying to use Matter-compatible devices as much as possible. So when I saw this, I had to jump, not only because the bulbs are Matter-compatible, but it would be my first foray into the Philips Hue system.
To start, you definitely need the Bridge. I already had a Matter-compatible hub from Aqara, which works for Aqara devices, but apparently the Hue bulbs need to be initialized with the Philips Hue Bridge. I tried several times to get the bulbs added into the Apple Home app without the Bridge, to no avail. So the first step is getting the Bridge out of the box and set up. You will need to connect the Bridge to your network via ethernet, not wifi. I don't know why, but wifi isn't an option, which also means your placement of the Bridge is limited to where you have your router or access point.
The setup of the Bridge is relatively painless, requiring about 5 minutes of time, but you'll need to get the Hue app first, then scan the QR code on the bottom of the Bridge. That's annoying, but it's hopefully only necessary the first time. Once the Bridge is configured and on your network, it's very easy to add accessories by scanning the QR code printed on each bulb.
I didn't play around with the Hue app too much, since we use the aforementioned Apple Home app for our smart home needs, but it looked very comprehensive. It was easy to add the bulbs, then to sync them to the Home app, just go to Settings, then Smart Home, and choose which ecosystem you'd like the bulbs to show up in. Once they're in your preferred ecosystem, you can control them in any way you need, or use the Hue app for whatever features haven't been implemented in the ecosystem yet. I don't know which ones they are, since I was only really concerned with simple things like automatically turning them on and off or changing the color, but I know those other features exist.
In all, I'm quite happy with them, and while I can't afford to replace all my bulbs with Hue ones, that would be pretty awesome from a smart home / automation standpoint.
Report