Philips Hue Bridge Now Supports Matter: Interoperability with Third-Party Lights
Philips Hue Bridge owners can now enjoy Matter support, thanks to a recent software update from the company. This update brings greater interoperability to the Philips Hue smart home system, allowing it to seamlessly integrate with third-party smart lights.
Matter is a connectivity standard designed to facilitate the harmonious operation of smart home accessories across various platforms, including Apple’s HomeKit, Amazon’s Alexa, Google’s Home, and more. For households equipped with multiple smart home ecosystems or a mix of smartphone brands, Matter support translates into the ability to control Matter-compatible lights from any device.
For those who solely manage Philips Hue lights using Apple’s Home app or the dedicated Hue app, this update won’t bring about any changes. However, for Android and iPhone users who possess third-party lights compatible with Matter, they can now configure and control these accessories using the Hue Bridge. This is contingent on the ownership of a Matter border router, such as an Apple TV 4K, Apple TV HD (fourth generation), Apple HomePod, or HomePod mini.
To set up Matter-compatible accessories, users can request pairing codes within the Hue app by navigating to the Settings -> Smart Home screen and tapping the plus button.
Philips Hue had previously expressed its commitment to supporting the new smart home standard, Matter, when it was officially introduced in November 2022. The parent company, Signify, had initially projected that a software update enabling Matter compatibility for the Philips Hue lineup would be accessible to all users in the first quarter of 2023. However, the update experienced some delays.
Apple integrated Matter support into the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV through iOS 16.1, iPadOS 16, and tvOS 16.1 last year. To control Matter accessories within the Home app or through Siri, users require a HomePod or Apple TV.
