Philips Hue Leak Hints at Direct Matter Support
▼ Summary
– Upcoming Philips Hue products may support Matter-over-Thread, as suggested by leaks and packaging showing the Matter logo.
– New Hue bulbs have been spotted with Matter setup codes, indicating potential direct Matter connectivity without the Hue Bridge.
– Thread is a likely connectivity method for Matter support due to its low-power and mesh network capabilities, unlike Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
– FCC filings for new Hue bulbs mention disabled functions and bands, which could imply Thread support despite only listing Bluetooth and Zigbee.
– Direct Matter support would allow Hue bulbs to work with any Matter controller, reducing reliance on the Bridge for basic functions.
A potential breakthrough for smart home enthusiasts appears to be on the horizon as Philips Hue may soon introduce direct Matter support in its upcoming lighting products. While the official announcement is expected next week at IFA, recent leaks suggest a significant shift in how Hue bulbs could connect to smart home ecosystems, moving beyond their traditional reliance on the Hue Bridge for Matter compatibility.
Packaging images for two unreleased Hue bulbs surfaced on Amazon, each prominently featuring the Matter logo. This is noteworthy because, until now, Hue devices only worked with Matter through the Hue Bridge acting as an intermediary. The absence of native support stemmed from the fact that Matter relies on Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or Thread, protocols Hue has historically avoided in favor of Zigbee and Bluetooth.
Further evidence emerged from an FCC filing, later removed, which included a label for a new Hue White bulb displaying a Matter setup code alongside the standard Bluetooth and Zigbee symbols. This strongly implies the bulb will connect directly via Matter, eliminating the need for a bridge in basic operations. While Wi-Fi remains a theoretical possibility, Thread is the most plausible candidate given its energy efficiency and ability to form resilient mesh networks, ideal for smart lighting.
Curiously, the FCC documentation made no explicit mention of Thread or Wi-Fi, only referencing Bluetooth and Zigbee frequencies. However, a since-deleted excerpt noted that “other functions, bands and modes” were disabled by the manufacturer. Although unspecified, it’s reasonable to infer that Thread, which operates in the same 2.4GHz band as Zigbee, could be among these disabled features, awaiting a future firmware update or product revision.
Philips Hue is unlikely to abandon Zigbee entirely, given its established infrastructure. Still, introducing Thread-based Matter support would allow users to control bulbs directly from any Matter-compatible platform, reserving the Bridge for advanced capabilities like dynamic scenes and entertainment sync. This move would align Hue with industry trends, as companies like IKEA recently committed to launching over 20 Matter-over-Thread devices, signaling growing adoption of the standard.
(Source: The Verge)
