IFA 2023 launch event also sees some new smart lights from Signify
Philips Hue’s smart security camera has been more leaky than a wet weekend in Wales the past few weeks but it’s now finally arrived.
Officially unveiled at Signify’s IFA 2023 launch event, the Philips Hue Secure cameras come in both battery and wired options, and form part of the new Philips Hue Secure smart security system.
The Secure cameras, which can be used indoors or outdoors, are 1080p security cameras with night vision, an alarm siren and two-way talk on board.
Verdict: Philips Hue Secure Wired Cam review
A key selling point is that the new Hue security cam is end-to-end encryption by default. This means that no processing of footage is done in the cloud, it all happens locally on the devices themselves.
Whether you go battery or wired, there are multiple positioning options (as well as the choice between black and white), including a Secure camera mount with ground spike that can be connected to Philips Hue’s existing low-voltage outdoor system.
Alongside the new Secure camera, there’s also the launch of the Philips Hue Secure floodlight camera which adds Hue’s color smart lighting directly to the mix.
Everything is powered in the new Security Center, which can be found in the Philips Hue app. You’ll need both a Hue Bridge and a Hue account to get started.
From the app you’ll be able to do all the usual smart security stuff such as manually triggering an alarm that flashes your Hue lights, sounding the siren on your Secure camera, or even calling the police, or a friend or family member.
Additional security features, such as creating activity zones and detecting if a person, package, animal or vehicle triggered an alert, can be unlocked with a premium plan, with prices starting from £3.99 a month.
And it’s not just smart security cameras on offer – Signify has also unveiled the new Philips Hue Secure contact sensors for extra security smarts around your house.
It is, of course, already possible to do what Signify is shouting from the Berlin mountain tops about – i.e. using cameras and smart sensors to kick start routines involving Hue smart lights – using existing smart home ecosystems like Amazon Alexa or Google Home.
However, with the end to end encryption on offer, and the simplicity of doing everything from within the Hue app, it’s a no brainer for the smart light specialist to offer native devices.
New Hue lights
Aside from all the exciting Hue Secure kit, Signify also took the covers off of some new smart lighting options that are coming soon too.
A new generation of Hue Festavia string lights – usable indoors and outdoors – are going live in three varieties: 100 LEDs along an 8m cord, 250 LEDs along a 20m cord, or 500 LEDs along a 40m.
There’s also a new Philips Hue MR16 smart bulb that works on the same 12V low voltage as standard MR16 bulbs, meaning they will be compatible with most transformers.
Price and availability
Here’s the pricing and availability for everything announced by Signify at IFA 2023 (US pricing and availability will be added soon)…
• Philips Hue Secure wired camera in black or white (available autumn 2023) £174.99 / €199.99
• Philips Hue Secure battery camera in black or white (available autumn 2023) £219.99 / €249.99
• Philips Hue Secure floodlight camera in black (available Q1 2024) £299.99 / €349.99
• Philips Hue Secure contact sensor (Single) in black or white (available autumn 2023) £34.99 / €39.99
• Philips Hue Secure contact sensor (double) in black or white (available autumn 2023) £59.99/ €69.99
• Philips Hue Secure camera mount with ground spike (available autumn 2023) £34.99 / €39.99
• Philips Hue Secure wired camera with desktop stand in black or white (available autumn 2023) £199.99/ €229.99
• Philips Hue Secure low-voltage outdoor charging cable (available autumn 2023) £26.99/ €29.99
• Philips Hue Secure anti-drop cable (available autumn 2023) £12.99 / €14.99
• Philips Hue Secure Basic plan with 30-day video history
£3.99 per camera per month or GBP 34.99 per camera per year / €3.99 per camera per month or €39.99 per camera per year
• Philips Hue Secure Plus plan with 60-day video history (available autumn 2023)
£8.99 per month or GBP 84.99 per year for multiple cameras / €9.99 per month or €99.99 per year for multiple cameras
• Philips Hue Festavia string lights (100 LEDs) (available September 2023) £109.99 / €119.99
• Philips Hue Festavia string lights (250 LEDs) (available September 2023) £199.99 / €219.99
• Philips Hue Festavia string lights (500 LEDs) (available September 2023) £319.99 / €359.99
• Philips Hue MR16 White Ambiance (1 pack or 2 pack) (available September 2023) £29.99-54.99 / €34.99-64.99
• Philips Hue MR16 White and Color Ambiance (1 pack or 2 pack) (available September 2023) £54.99-94.99 / €64.99-109.99
