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Philips Hue has announced a new wireless dimmer switch module that lets Hue bridge owners directly control the smart lighting from their standard wall switches.

Hue-module-dimmer-switch.jpg

The new Philips Hue wall switch module is the ideal addition to any Philips Hue set up. Installed behind existing light switches, it allows users to turn their existing switch into a smart switch and ensures their smart lighting is always reachable. Whether it is via the app or via voice control: no more getting up from the couch to turn on the switches that a family member or house guest might have turned off.

The company has also announced a new version of its Wireless Dimmer Switch featuring a more curvaceous design. Instead of having four buttons like the switch module it replaces, the new model has only three buttons, with the middle two dimmer buttons combined into a single rocker button. The "on" button also now has a small tactile marking so that users can find the correct button in the dark.

Users can select light scenes in the Hue app and customize how the switch functions to personalize the ambience of their home. The module includes power on and off switches, dimmer controls, and a button that lets users cycle through their favorite scenes. Like the module it replaces, the new dimmer switch also includes a removable remote.

2021-hue-switch.jpg

In addition, Philips Hue has launched a new outdoors lighting system: The Amarant is an ambient LED strip for use on blank walls in gardens or on balconies. It features a wall washing effect with a vibrant light that's intensified by the metal shield. The Amarant also integrates with existing Hue low-voltage outdoors products such as the Hue Lily, Hue Calla, or Hue Outdoor Lightstrip. Philips Hue is also updating its Appear outdoor wall light with a brushed stainless steel finish and easier installation.

Amarant-CityGarden-color.jpg

There's no U.S. pricing yet for the Appear, but the new wall module will be available in the summer costing $40, the new dimmer switch will be available for $24.99 from February 23, and the Amarant costs $169.99 and will be available from March 2.

Article Link: Philips Hue Announces New Wall Switch Module, Dimmer Switch, and Outdoor Light Bar
 
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NightFox

macrumors 68040
May 10, 2005
3,233
4,452
Shropshire, UK
I'd like to know how big the wall switch module is, because I don't know what it's like in other countries, but certainly in the UK there's not a lot of room in a light switch backbox once you've accounted for the switch and the wiring.
 
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LiveM

macrumors 65816
Oct 30, 2015
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I'd like to know how big with wall switch module is, because I don't know what it's like in other countries, but certainly in the UK there's not a lot of room in a light switch backbox once you've accounted for the switch and the wiring.
It looks like it would be the same size as the existing versions from Fibraro, which are pretty small and fit OK in Australian switches.
 

McScooby

macrumors 65816
Oct 15, 2005
1,238
777
The Paps of Glenn Close, Scotland.

DimitriMissinne

macrumors newbie
Mar 19, 2014
14
17
If you're looking for cheaper (build-in-wall) options, you can use the products of Shelly. They are high quality products for a fraction of the price. It's also possible to make them work with HUE.
 

stevet

macrumors 6502a
Apr 16, 2009
584
929
If you're looking for cheaper (build-in-wall) options, you can use the products of Shelly. They are high quality products for a fraction of the price. It's also possible to make them work with HUE.
They also seem to take forever to get them shipped to the USA. I’ve been waiting over 3 weeks for mine, haven’t hit my post office yet.
 

7zeichen

macrumors newbie
Nov 30, 2020
5
15
From the Product-Website:

Do I need a neutral wire?
The Philips Hue Wall Switch Module is powered by a coin cell battery that is expected to last at least five years. Therefore, the module does not need its own power supply and consequently also no neutral wire. This also made it possible to reduce the size of the module.


So, additionally, to restarting your network from time to time, in case your lamps and switches are not responding, you have to find and change the batteries in your wall switches? There already are cables with electric power. Sure, it would make the device itself bigger and more expensive. But WT*? Don't get it.
 

dwaltwhit

Contributor
Oct 25, 2013
1,162
2,154
Tennessee
I have about 20 kasa switches in my house at about 15-20 a switch and no hub required. I am super impressed with the quality and reliability.
 

goobot

macrumors 603
Jun 26, 2009
6,476
4,360
long island NY
From the Product-Website:

Do I need a neutral wire?
The Philips Hue Wall Switch Module is powered by a coin cell battery that is expected to last at least five years. Therefore, the module does not need its own power supply and consequently also no neutral wire. This also made it possible to reduce the size of the module.


So, additionally, to restarting your network from time to time, in case your lamps and switches are not responding, you have to find and change the batteries in your wall switches? There already are cables with electric power. Sure, it would make the device itself bigger and more expensive. But WT*? Don't get it.
They should offer both for sure.
 

Moakesy

macrumors 6502a
Mar 1, 2013
576
1,209
UK
I'd like to know how big with wall switch module is, because I don't know what it's like in other countries, but certainly in the UK there's not a lot of room in a light switch backbox once you've accounted for the switch and the wiring.
I'd like to know the same thing. The link @McScooby posted above looks promising, but this would change how we use Hue in our house significantly. Force of habit means we keep on switching off the lights at the switch when we go to bed.
 

Kid Red

macrumors 65816
Dec 14, 2001
1,428
157
I came here to say there's no way that's fitting behind any switches in my house. There's just room room between the switch and the excess of very stiff romex wire. It seems to be EU focused.
 

gk4

macrumors regular
Mar 6, 2010
195
270
A battery in a switch? What a nightmare. Pass.

I went from really excited to quickly let down when I read that. My whole reason for wanting in wall switches is to avoid the battery issues. Hue remoted already have battery issues when they are used in environments where they don't get a strong signal - my hue smart button in the basement goes through it's battery in about 2 months. I'd expect this device - which will typically be surrounded by metal on 5 side and the switch itself (which contains more metal) on the 6th side - will also get way less than the 5 years they think it will.

I'll keep waiting for the zwave Inovelli switches that they said are in the works.
 
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gk4

macrumors regular
Mar 6, 2010
195
270
If you're looking for cheaper (build-in-wall) options, you can use the products of Shelly. They are high quality products for a fraction of the price. It's also possible to make them work with HUE.
I have a Shelly - and the thing that had me interested in these was that they would likely have native homekit compatibility. I'm trying to ween myself off of using HomeAssistant and go 100% homekit because homeassistant has been really unreliable for me. I know there are ways to flash a shelly or sonoff to be homekit compatible - but it's note a simple process.
 
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Le Big Mac

macrumors 68030
Jan 7, 2003
2,798
372
Washington, DC
I came here to say there's no way that's fitting behind any switches in my house. There's just room room between the switch and the excess of very stiff romex wire. It seems to be EU focused.
Just from the picture it looks like the wall box used with the switches it's designed for are a lot larger - more like a ceiling fixture box. Great if it works in your country, but it doesn't look like it would fit with typical US switches. Really it would be easier to build an actual standard toggle switch (or Decora style) with the electronics embedded. And that wouldn't be any harder to replace.
 

gr8hii

macrumors member
Mar 23, 2011
43
29
I have yet to find a good homekit light switch such as this. I'd even be ok with a decent double switch (think: fan and light in one gang) but can't find that either. My Z-wave controller is on the fritz. Been solid for 8+ years so can't complain too much I guess.
 

jumpcutking

macrumors 6502
Nov 6, 2020
296
178
My home is getting better! I have nothing but hue light bulbs so the new additions are nice. Let’s hope they work well!
 

LumbermanSVO

macrumors 65816
Mar 15, 2007
1,234
622
Denton, TX
From the Product-Website:

Do I need a neutral wire?
The Philips Hue Wall Switch Module is powered by a coin cell battery that is expected to last at least five years. Therefore, the module does not need its own power supply and consequently also no neutral wire. This also made it possible to reduce the size of the module.


So, additionally, to restarting your network from time to time, in case your lamps and switches are not responding, you have to find and change the batteries in your wall switches? There already are cables with electric power. Sure, it would make the device itself bigger and more expensive. But WT*? Don't get it.
As a data point, the Hue stuff in my house is hands down the most reliable electronics I own. I've never had to troubleshoot anything, they just simply work, all the time.
 
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millarj

macrumors member
Jul 2, 2003
35
10
From the Product-Website:

Do I need a neutral wire?
The Philips Hue Wall Switch Module is powered by a coin cell battery that is expected to last at least five years. Therefore, the module does not need its own power supply and consequently also no neutral wire. This also made it possible to reduce the size of the module.


So, additionally, to restarting your network from time to time, in case your lamps and switches are not responding, you have to find and change the batteries in your wall switches? There already are cables with electric power. Sure, it would make the device itself bigger and more expensive. But WT*? Don't get it.
In the US at least, neutral wires at switches weren't required by most electrical codes until the 1980's so most houses built prior to that requirement, including my 1979 ranch, don't have neutrals at the switch. I'd love wired smart switches, but I'm not rewiring my house to get it. In rooms where I need a physical switch AND want smart control, I use Zigbee battery powered switches like the smart bulb remote from Lutron and the Hue wall switch remote.
 
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Phil77354

macrumors 68000
Jun 22, 2014
1,918
2,006
Pacific Northwest, U.S.
My home is getting better! I have nothing but hue light bulbs so the new additions are nice. Let’s hope they work well!

As a data point, the Hue stuff in my house is hands down the most reliable electronics I own. I've never had to troubleshoot anything, they just simply work, all the time.
I too have numerous Hue bulbs & light strips throughout my home, and I've been very satisfied with them.

But the pricing is painful. I try to buy them whenever I see a reduced price or sale, but that doesn't happen very often. If I was on a tighter budget, I don't think I'd be able to afford Hue.
 

gk4

macrumors regular
Mar 6, 2010
195
270
In the US at least, neutral wires at switches weren't required by most electrical codes until the 1980's so most houses built prior to that requirement, including my 1979 ranch, don't have neutrals at the switch. I'd love wired smart switches, but I'm not rewiring my house to get it. In rooms where I need a physical switch AND want smart control, I use Zigbee battery powered switches like the smart bulb remote from Lutron and the Hue wall switch remote.

If you're OK going outside the Hue ecosystem - there are devices that meet your needs. In terms of functionality, I think the Inovelli switches are the gold standard. They check almost all the boxes.

  • They are standard sized.
  • They look just like standard decora style switches and fit any decora wallplate (I'm using mine with typical leviton wallplates because the wall plate it ships with isn't screwless).
  • They can control both standard bulbs, and smart bulbs (by disabling their internal relay so that button presses only send an event to your hub but don't break the circuit)
Only downside is that they're zwave and there is no simple way to get them into homekit (i'm currently running home assistant for no other reason that to keep my inovelli switch running). But they have announced a zigbee version that's supposed to work with the Hue hub (so I'm assuming they're working with Hue to try and get it as a friends of Hue device). I also have a Lutron Aurora like you (and I like it a lot) but it's functionality is limited by the fact that it's not exposed to homekit (which is understandable because homekit still doesn't support rotary dials)
 

LeadingHeat

macrumors 65816
Oct 3, 2015
1,044
2,608
Maybe I’m still delusional from just waking up, but haven’t we seen this article before? I remember another MR article talking about that rocker switch and the outdoor lighting. Or was the second half just copy pasted because it fits in well with the new device at the top of the article?
 

mattopotamus

macrumors G5
Jun 12, 2012
14,665
5,879
I too have numerous Hue bulbs & light strips throughout my home, and I've been very satisfied with them.

But the pricing is painful. I try to buy them whenever I see a reduced price or sale, but that doesn't happen very often. If I was on a tighter budget, I don't think I'd be able to afford Hue.

I recently moved, and I just deemed it not worth the hassle to set them all back up. I put a few outside on automatic timers, but that is it. Biggest issue, which these new products aim to fix, is having people over and they use light switches. It makes the bulbs unusable.
 
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