Philips has expanded its Philips Hue app with Zones. From now on you can group and control multiple lamps from different rooms. For example, you can easily switch off all smart lamps on the upper floor at once.
Philips Hue Zones added to app
With the Philips Hue app, you can control your smart lights from your iPhone or iPad. With an update, the lamp manufacturer adds a nice function. Zones allow you to control different lights in multiple rooms, or just part of a room. It ensures that you can better organize which lamps you want to control at the same time.
Previously, it was only possible to control rooms, which was not always convenient. If you have Philips Hue lamps in both the kitchen and the living room, it is nice if you can switch them off in the evening with one push of a button. Previously, this was only possible if you set all these lamps as one room.
Zones are not only controlled on ‘on’ or ‘off’, but you can also change the brightness or color of several lamps in one go. If you like to color only the two lamps around the television in the evening, then you can quickly set that up with such a Zone.
Set up zones in the Philips Hue app
Currently, the feature is only available in beta, and its final version will be added at a later date. This does not change how Zones work. Setting a zone is actually just as easy as setting a room in the Philips Hue app.
To do this, go to Settings in the app and then to the ‘Rooms and zones’ menu. Here, tap “Create New” and then “Create Zone (Beta)”. Then select all the lamps you want in a zone and give them a recognizable name and icon. In the ‘Property’ tab you will then find a new overview with all your zones, where you can easily switch them on or off.
Here you can create a light scene specifically for this zone. Because the function is still in beta, it is not yet possible to include zones in routines, combine with other smart devices or control them with Siri.
Philips Hue lamps can not only be operated with this app, but also work with Apple’s own Home app. Learn all about Apple’s smart device ecosystem in our HomeKit guide. Also check which HomeKit devices are more worthwhile for a smart home.