Philips Hue could be gearing up for its biggest update in years, with leaks suggesting new bulbs will support direct Matter connectivity. Packaging spotted on Amazon showed the Matter logo, and an FCC filing revealed a Hue White bulb with a Matter setup code alongside Bluetooth and Zigbee.
Whilst there’s no mention of Thread or Wi-Fi yet, this shift would make Hue bulbs easier to connect to any Matter controller, keeping Zigbee for advanced features but finally breaking free from the Bridge for everyday use.
Philips Hue news has been coming thick and fast lately, with the biggest headlines pointing to new launches expected at IFA this week. However, beyond hardware, it looks like one of the biggest software updates in years could be on the horizon.
Back in 2022, Hue updated its Bridge to support Matter, letting users connect Hue products to other Matter-supported devices and apps. It was a welcome step, but the catch was that it only worked for Hue gadgets connected through the Bridge – which felt odd given how many Hue products can run without one.
Now, that limitation might finally be changing. Packaging for two unannounced bulbs briefly appeared on Amazon, complete with the Matter logo printed on the box. Not long after, a now-removed FCC filing surfaced, showing a Hue White bulb with a Matter setup code alongside the usual Bluetooth and Zigbee logos.
In other words, it strongly suggests new Hue bulbs will be able to connect directly via Matter, with no Bridge required.
That said, The Verge notes the FCC filing doesn’t reference Thread or Wi-Fi, only Bluetooth and Zigbee. HueBlog even spotted a line in one of the documents that mentioned other functions and bands being “disabled in the software,” which could hint at Thread support in the future, but nothing’s confirmed.
For anyone sceptical of Matter, rest assured – this doesn't mean Philips Hue is ditching Zigbee anytime soon. However, the possibility of bulbs that connect directly to any Matter controller, with the Bridge reserved for advanced features, is a big deal. If you can't tell, I'm very excited about it, and I'm hoping we'll find out more on Wednesday.
