Philips Hue App Expands to iPad, Gains New 3D Touch Features

[AstroRob]

Do NOT download this app onto your iPad if you already have it running on your iPhone.

I installed it and happily saw all my scenes had copied over from the Bridge. I started to create a new widget on the iPad and after setting up the 2nd item suddenly the same scene had been duplicated several times. Then a different scene appeared to be duplicated.

The screwed up settings propagated back to my iPhone and probably they are totally wrecked on the Bridge as well. UPDATE: after mucking about it seems at least 4 scenes were corrupted and all assigned one name and a different image/color scheme. Deleting one crashed the app but seems to have cleared them from Bridge.

Also the dashboard widget used to show two lines of items (8), now it only shows 4 with the next row revealing only the tops of the icons. Clicking Show More on the widget does nothing. This was working fine in the last version.

This app update is a DISASTER. Everything I do in it screws up more of my scenes. Seriously how did this get released?

Up until now I was generally liking how Philips was trying to improve the color handling in the app, and finally restoring the ability to edit colors in scenes in the last version was long overdue. But this update seems like it wasn't even tested.

 

[Gorms]

I fail to see the excitement in controlling a light bulb with a phone. Surely a switch is more convenient?

Personally, I find Siri/Hey Siri far more convenient for light control with the added bonus that I feel like I'm in Star Trek: TNG everytime I use it.

 

[Mike Oxard]

As you might have guessed, I don't use the Hue app for my lights. The Home app is so much more intuitively organized and simple and of course it works with all of my devices, not just the lights.

Please can I have your house when you've finished with it?

Can you use the Home app to set up fade in times? I can set that in the Hue app but can't see it in the Home app.

 

[iGeek2014]

I managed to grab the Hue 2.0 kit on eBay earlier on this year.

It's great to be able to control the lights with an app and/or Siri; I work nights and when my house mates are away on holiday I can give the impression people are at home and turn them off from work (via my iPad) or set them to switch off at a certain time either through the Home app or the Hue app.

I've also used IFTTT to do things like change the colour of the bulb(s) when rain is due and also Ambify. It's a paid for app but I can create a disco to the music stored on my iPhone (sadly not with Apple Music yet).

 

[dannys1]

I've recently bought an Echo Dot and use that to control my Hue lights now, it is brilliant at it.

I only use the apps to set scenes and new bulbs now.

I've got two Echo Dot's and I wish they were brilliant at controlling lights, but they are not. Compared to Siri they're awful.

 

[Mike Oxard]

I've got two Echo Dot's and I wish they were brilliant at controlling lights, but they are not. Compared to Siri they're awful.

The apple/siri version of the echo can't come soon enough. Hopefully the discontinuation of the airport express means there's something in the pipeline to give us airplay music.

 

[peelage]

How long has Hue been out and it's just now getting a proper iPad app? That's really sad. Better late than never, I guess.

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They used to have an iPad app with their initial release and got rid of it.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Appreciate the iPad support but given Hue's premium price the app should offer a lot more customization than it does -- far less than the 3rd party apps. But I just paid $200+ for a set of fricken light bulbs. Why do I need to pay another $5 to be able to use them to there full capabilities, many which are noted on the package box?

Love Hue but wish it came with an app worth of the system.

 

[Gorms]

The apple/siri version of the echo can't come soon enough. Hopefully the discontinuation of the airport express means there's something in the pipeline to give us airplay music.

This! If Airport isn't being rolled into some new category of device I will be... well I won't be stunned anymore, so I guess I'll just be annoyed.

 

[CarpalMac]

I've got two Echo Dot's and I wish they were brilliant at controlling lights, but they are not. Compared to Siri they're awful.

How so is it better?

Now I've setup the groups how I like them I find it hard to believe that there is an easier/quicker method to do stuff. Like dim my lounge lights on demand by sitting on my backside and saying "alexa, set lounge 40".

 

[lauramayer]

I don't have that "Holiday" scene in my app. , like in the picture. I updated the application, but I can not find it.

 

[Karma*Police]

No, works whether I'm on the local wifi or using cellular data. Only warning I get is when it can't talk to a device because it is off. (I have an Apple TV 4th gen)

Interesting, I have the same setup but occasionally my scenes don't work. Thanks for sharing.
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If you mean timers not activate scenes, yes, regularly! It's very annoying and basic functionality that should 'just work'.

I wonder if it's a bug. Do you have your timers to go off based on sunset by any chance? I have it set up for my lights to turn on during sunset and it works most of the time but once in a blue moon I'll walk into a pitch dark home.

 

[dannys1]

How so is it better?

Now I've setup the groups how I like them I find it hard to believe that there is an easier/quicker method to do stuff. Like dim my lounge lights on demand by sitting on my backside and saying "alexa, set lounge 40".

See this post - Home Siri vs Alexa Smart Home (Longish read)

In summary. No way to change colour, a lot less flexible with phrasing, no inline conversation, and if you have a lot of bulbs like me it tends to create the same bulb and scene more than once - it's a message. It's a very basic implementation compared to Siri.

 

[3pp]

Interesting, I have the same setup but occasionally my scenes don't work. Thanks for sharing.
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I wonder if it's a bug. Do you have your timers to go off based on sunset by any chance? I have it set up for my lights to turn on during sunset and it works most of the time but once in a blue moon I'll walk into a pitch dark home.

Yep, and I think it might only be the sunset ones that are the ones which occasionally don't work as my 10pm set 'after hours' always kicks in. Must be a bug.

 

[Karma*Police]

Yep, and I think it might only be the sunset ones that are the ones which occasionally don't work as my 10pm set 'after hours' always kicks in. Must be a bug.

Thanks. I reported it to Apple so hopefully they fix it at some point. Notwithstanding still a great app and love the iOS and Apple Watch integration.