GoKawiilis a senior reviewer with over twenty years of experience. She covers smart home, IoT, and connected tech, and has written previously for Wirecutter, Wired, Dwell, BBC, and US News.
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Smart lighting company Philips Hue has launched its first wired wall modules. Installed behind existing wall switches, the new devices bring non-smart lights into the Hue ecosystem for the first time. Hue also announced new Play table and floor lamps that are more affordable versions of its Signe series, along with upgrades to its E14 candle bulbs that add a broader white light spectrum and Matter-over-Thread compatibility.
The new lights are now available globally; however, the Wired Wall Switch Modules are Europe-only. Signify CTO George Yianni told The Verge that there are currently no plans to launch them in the US, but the company would consider doing so if there’s enough interest. “DIY modules are not such an established category in the US; it’s more fully integrated switches,” he said. “If people really want these in the US, then maybe we’ll look at it. I think the modules are quite exciting; it’s something that we’ve talked about doing for a long time.”
The modules are in-wall relays that install behind existing switches to control any non-smart light connected to them, such as recessed ceiling or pendant lights. Those can then be controlled in the Hue app alongside Hue’s smart bulbs.
Several companies, including Aqara and Shelly, offer in-wall relays that add smart control to existing lights without replacing the switch, but these are the first that will work with the Hue app.
There are three versions of the Hue Wired Wall Switch Modules, starting at €44.99: a 1-channel module for single-rocker switches, a 2-channel module for double-rocker switches, and a dimmer module.
A fourth module is a wired version of Hue’s existing battery-powered wall module, letting you use your existing light switch to control Hue lights. Unlike the relay modules, this one will work with Hue’s MotionAware and can be part of the new whole-home motion-sensing system.
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