Philips Hue can now make your existing mute wall switches smart

One of the biggest problems with smart lights This is how they interact with traditional wall switches, which Philips Hue hopes to solve with its new wall switch module.

Typically, the problem with connecting smart lights to a traditional wall switch is that if you use the switch to turn off smart lights rather than using an app or voice command, the smart lights can no longer communicate with the smart lights. the rest of your devices. This means that your smart lights will be inaccessible until the next time you use the wall switch to turn them back on, which basically eliminates the whole purpose of smart lights.

To solve this problem, Philips Hue created the new wall switch module, which is a small wired device in your existing wall switch, allowing you to use the switch to turn lights on and off while activating Hue bulbs and lights to maintain a connection to your phone or to a Philips Hue hub. So even if you turn them off using the switch, your Hue smart lights won’t lose their functionality.

Available for $ 40 each or $ 70 for a pack of two, the obvious downside to Hue’s wall switch module is that in addition to only working with Hue lights, the wall switch module is relatively expensive. compared to a traditional wall switch, so instead of installing them throughout your home, Hue users may want to strategically install them only intraffic areas.

And in order to maintain a connection Along with the rest of your home network, the Hue wall switch module is powered by a small disposable battery. Philips Hue says battery that comes with wall switch module should last around five years on a single charge, but when it finally dies, you will need to remove the faceplate from your wall switch and handle your wiring again in order to replace it.

On the plus side, Philips Hue says its wall switch module should work with traditional toggle and toggle switches in addition to push button switches. That said, if you want a more modular solution for controlling Hue lights, Philips Hue is also launching an updated Hue dimmer with a new programmable Hue button which can be customized to activate a lighting scene or recipe.

The new Philips Hue wall switch module will be available in North America this summer for $ 40, with the updated Hue dimmer arriving earlier on February 23 for $ 25.