Leak suggests new Philips Hue lights will have direct Matter support

There’s already been a fig of leaks of upcoming Philips Hue products that are expected to beryllium announced adjacent week up of IFA. But 1 happening that hasn’t been mentioned was enactment for Matter-over-Thread. While there’s nary confirmation that enactment is coming, there’s compelling grounds to suggest it mightiness be. 

First off, packaging for 2 unannounced bulbs appeared connected Amazon, with a Matter logo prominently displayed connected the box. While Hue devices person been susceptible of connecting via Matter utilizing the Hue Bridge arsenic a middleman, they’ve ne'er supported the protocol directly. That’s successful portion due to the fact that Matter lone works via Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Thread; Hue has been a Zigbee and Bluetooth-only ecosystem for years.

Then there’s the since-removed FCC filing discovered by HueBlog. A expected screenshot of the papers shows a statement for a caller Hue White lightbulb with a Matter setup codification nether the acquainted Bluetooth and Zigbee logos. This astir surely means the lightbulb volition link straight via Matter. Wired Ethernet would evidently beryllium an unusual choice. Wi-Fi is simply a possibility, but the much logical enactment would beryllium Thread, which is low-power and tin make self-healing mesh networks.

The 1 contented is, there’s nary notation of Thread oregon Wi-Fi successful the FCC filing anywhere, lone Bluetooth and Zigbee. According to HueBlog, however, 1 papers work (before it was removed), “This merchandise lone supports BLE 125k/500k/1M/2Mbps:2402-2480MHz, Zigbee:2405-2480MHz. The different functions, bands and modes was [sic] disabled to usage by shaper [sic] successful the software.” What are those different functions, bands, and modes? It’s not specified successful immoderate papers I could find, but it’s tenable to presume the database mightiness see Thread which, similar Zigbee, uses the 2.4GHz band.

Philips isn’t astir to wantonness Zigbee for Thread overnight, but this would springiness users nonstop entree to Hue bulbs from immoderate Matter controller, with the Bridge lone needed for immoderate precocious features, similar dynamic lighting effects. Plus there’s a increasing momentum down Matter-over-Thread, with Ikea precocious announcing implicit 20 products supporting it.