Philips Hue to Implement Support for Siri Shortcuts Later This Year

[MacRumors]

Philips is planning to introduce support for Apple's Shortcuts feature in its Hue app in iOS 12, Philips announced today at the IFA electronics trade show in Berlin (via iCulture).

With the integration, Hue owners will be able to add lighting recipes to various Siri Shortcuts, such as shifting the lights in the dining room to a certain color with a Siri voice command like "Dinner Time," as demoed by Philips.

Siri Shortcuts is a Siri feature designed to allow users to create multi-step shortcuts using first and third-party apps that can be activated by Siri voice command.

Shortcuts are deeply customizable, and third party apps like the Hue app are able to develop quick actions for Siri that can be incorporated into Shortcuts recipes. When Hue integration launches, Hue options will be available in the dedicated Shortcuts app.

The Hue shortcuts will be compatible with other shortcuts, so you can have a whole "Dinner Time" setup that not only changes the lights, but also does things like turn on music and text family members that the food is ready.

Siri is able to suggest frequently used Shortcuts right on the iPhone's lock screen and Apple Watch, so if there are Hue-related lighting shortcuts that are often used, these options will be able to be implemented with a simple tap.

Right now, the Shortcuts app, which is what's used to create these Siri Shortcuts, is available to developers in a beta capacity, but it will be released when iOS 12 is released. Sometime after that, Philips will presumably implement Shortcuts support.

Philips today also announced a new power feature that's designed to allow Hue lights to retain their color and brightness settings after a power outage or after a lamp has been manually turned off, and the company is partnering with new lighting companies that include Makris, Kichler, Busch-Jaegar, Illumra, Koizumi, and John Lewis for its Friends of Hue program.

Article Link: Philips Hue to Implement Support for Siri Shortcuts Later This Year

 

[ipedro]

HomeKit recipes already do this.

A Siri shortcut will be able to combine HomeKit recipes with other other actions. Hey Siri, get ready for Dinner could trigger the Dinner HomeKit scene, dimming the lights and turning on the spotlight over the dining table and then separately telling HomePod to play a dinner music playlist and texting the kids in the family to come down for dinner. This can already be done without Hue explicitly supporting it.

 

[jclo]

HomeKit recipes already do this.

A Siri shortcut will be able to combine HomeKit recipes with other other actions. Hey Siri, get ready for Dinner could trigger the Dinner HomeKit scene, dimming the lights and turning on the spotlight over the dining table and then separately telling HomePod to play a dinner music playlist and texting the kids in the family to come down for dinner. This can already be done without Hue explicitly supporting it.

Yes, some of this can be done already. Shortcuts integration will be much more expansive and will allow for a wider range of combined actions.

 

[dannys1]

HomeKit recipes already do this.

*Scenes, but yeah. I can't see what's new about it - other than I guess Hue will be added as an option in the short cut app - which I guess is a bit like having them native in the Workflow app.

Philips today also announced a new power feature that's designed to allow Hue lights to retain their color and brightness settings after a power outage or after a lamp has been manually turned off

Please please please tell me that means if the light was off, it'll remain off when the power comes back on? Because being woken up at 3am after a powercut with 6 Hue lights on full blast is a nightmare.

 

[simps100]

How long till they release a more powerful bridge? Literally at the limit of lights / accessories and starting to see slowdowns - hoping for a more powerful bridge before looking into the multiple bridge option.

 

[andrebr]

HomeKit recipes already do this.

A Siri shortcut will be able to combine HomeKit recipes with other other actions. Hey Siri, get ready for Dinner could trigger the Dinner HomeKit scene, dimming the lights and turning on the spotlight over the dining table and then separately telling HomePod to play a dinner music playlist and texting the kids in the family to come down for dinner. This can already be done without Hue explicitly supporting it.

How?? I tried to set up my HomePod saying “good morning” to get the lights done and a playlist on, but I can’t do it.

 

[ipedro]

How?? I tried to set up my HomePod saying “good morning” to get the lights done and a playlist on, but I can’t do it.

You'll need the Shortcuts app in iOS 12. HomeKit only automates the lights. Shortcuts will be able to automate HomePod and sending messages.

But really, HomePod should be able to do this in the Home app. The AppleTV too. They're HomeKit devices.

 

[nitramluap]

Once Apple adds (proper) HomeKit support to Siri Shortcuts, surely this will all be pointless?
[doublepost=1535670313][/doublepost]

How long till they release a more powerful bridge? Literally at the limit of lights / accessories and starting to see slowdowns - hoping for a more powerful bridge before looking into the multiple bridge option.

Seriously? I have the maximum number of devices & accessories and it's working just fine off one bridge. Maybe you have some other problem (ie. wireless interference/channel issue)?

 

[Madmic23]

*Scenes, but yeah. I can't see what's new about it - other than I guess Hue will be added as an option in the short cut app - which I guess is a bit like having them native in the Workflow app.



Please please please tell me that means if the light was off, it'll remain off when the power comes back on? Because being woken up at 3am after a powercut with 6 Hue lights on full blast is a nightmare.

Sadly, I think that’s a “feature”. If someone doesn’t have a phone handy to turn on a Hue bulb, flipping the power switch off/on makes the bulb turn on. The bulb can’t tell the difference between that and a power outage.

 

[SnacksGU]

Just started purchasing some HomeKit devices. I have 6 lights and a Wemo outlet to control my bedroom fan. But not sure what else is really worth expanding for.

 

[nitramluap]

*Scenes, but yeah. I can't see what's new about it - other than I guess Hue will be added as an option in the short cut app - which I guess is a bit like having them native in the Workflow app.



Please please please tell me that means if the light was off, it'll remain off when the power comes back on? Because being woken up at 3am after a powercut with 6 Hue lights on full blast is a nightmare.

I simply installed a relay in the switchboard that keeps the light circuit powered off after a power loss, requiring me to press a button to power it up again at my convenience. It works really well.

 

[UnusedLoginID]

Philips today also announced a new power feature that's designed to allow Hue lights to retain their color and brightness settings after a power outage or after a lamp has been manually turned off
​

It’s about time!

 

[MillieWales]

Please please please tell me that means if the light was off, it'll remain off when the power comes back on? Because being woken up at 3am after a powercut with 6 Hue lights on full blast is a nightmare.

Yes, thats exactly how it will work, no more struggling to turn the lights off in the middle of the night waiting for your phone to connect to wifi etc....
[doublepost=1535714067][/doublepost]

Sadly, I think that’s a “feature”. If someone doesn’t have a phone handy to turn on a Hue bulb, flipping the power switch off/on makes the bulb turn on. The bulb can’t tell the difference between that and a power outage.

It's not, it will now stay off if the last setting was 'off'. Never really considered that this could be frustrating for people without a phone to turn a light on, mine are all set up so lights will be on if they need to be ie if it's getting dark, nobody presses a normal light switch in our house, we have a series of Tap Switches to use but mostly the lights are on if they need to be. Yes, it means some rooms have the lights on when nobody is in them, but that's how it is. For us, it's much more convenient that all lights stay off after a power outage at 3 am.

 

[hagar]

I don't understand what I can do with this, that I can't do now. I can already create a scene with iOS 11 and determine which lights have to go on in what colour. What's new?

Guess Apple will have a hard time selling Shortcuts to non-tech people.

 

[SnacksGU]

I don't understand what I can do with this, that I can't do now. I can already create a scene with iOS 11 and determine which lights have to go on in what colour. What's new?

Guess Apple will have a hard time selling Shortcuts to non-tech people.

You can accomplish multiple tasks with one command. “Headed home” - changes thermostat, lights on, texts someone a predetermined message. Etc.

 

[Xgm541]

Does anyone know if shortcuts or another feature i might have missed already allows for homekit to have timers?

For example: hey Siri turn on air conditioner for two hours

Or : hey Siri turn air conditioner on in 1 hour

 

[hagar]

You can accomplish multiple tasks with one command. “Headed home” - changes thermostat, lights on, texts someone a predetermined message. Etc.

I can do this already: When I say "TV Night" in iOS 11, my thermostat goes up, the TV switches on and the lights dim. Granted, I can't text someone.

So I assume it will be more complex task groups.

 

[allenvanhellen]

I’m so glad they’re updating the lights to stay off or turn back on to the previous state after a power loss or switch flip!

 

[SnacksGU]

I can do this already: When I say "TV Night" in iOS 11, my thermostat goes up, the TV switches on and the lights dim. Granted, I can't text someone.

So I assume it will be more complex task groups.

Yes. Tasks that are outside of HomeKit. Could also turn your phone to DND, and other features.

 

[dannys1]

I simply installed a relay in the switchboard that keeps the light circuit powered off after a power loss, requiring me to press a button to power it up again at my convenience. It works really well.

Now that's a brilliant idea!
[doublepost=1536749991][/doublepost]

I’m so glad they’re updating the lights to stay off or turn back on to the previous state after a power loss or switch flip!

I don't think they're staying off...
[doublepost=1536750120][/doublepost]

Yes, thats exactly how it will work, no more struggling to turn the lights off in the middle of the night waiting for your phone to connect to wifi etc....
[doublepost=1535714067][/doublepost]

It's not, it will now stay off if the last setting was 'off'.

How do you know this? Is it confirmed somewhere and if so when is the update coming?