With the new Essentials light bulbs and a new premium light bulb launched by Philips Hue, they also start a new era by supporting Matter over Thread. While Philips Hue already works with Zigbee for over a decade, they decided to add Thread support for several new products, while still supporting Bluetooth and Zigbee for these products as well. This means you can add these bulbs directly to your Smart Home platform, without the need for a Hue Bridge. You do need an appropriate Thread Border Router, like an Apple TV or HomePod (mini) for Apple Home or a Google TV Streamer or Nest Hub 2 for Google Home.
Advantages of Matter over Thread
Matter over Thread is supported by more and more devices. One of the advantages is the need for just one main hub to control and connect all your Smart Home devices in apps like Apple Home or Google Home. While you do need a dedicated Matter hub with Thread support, it does not require a separate bridge for each new brand you start using in your Smart Home. This will eliminate the need for multiple hubs and also makes it a lot easier and cheaper to start using a specific brand in your Smart Home. Based on the Smart Home platform you want to use, you can opt for a specific hub:
- Apple Home: Apple TV, Apple HomePod or Apple HomePod mini
- Google Home: Google TV Streamer, Google Nest Hub 2
- Home Assistant: A Apple or Google Matter hub with Thread or Home Assistant SkyConnect
- Homey: Homey Pro (2023) or Homey Pro Mini
- Aqara: Aqara Hub M3 or Aqara Hub M100
These hubs allow you to connect both WiFi and Thread devices to your Smart Home platform. However, if you like to use brand-specific functionality, you sometimes still need a separate hub from that brand. The Matter specification has a specific set of options a brand can add to the product, which sometimes limit the options you have.
Philips Hue with Matter over Thread
Philips Hue will start supporting Matter over Thread next to their usual connectivity standards: Bluetooth and Zigbee. This means you can still decide after your purchase if you like to use a Hue bridge with Zigbee or connect it over Thread to Apple Home or Google Home. This means you can start using the device without buying the Hue bridge, while still being able to purchase the bridge if you change your mind.
As Philips Hue products work with a lot of their own accessories and Hue has a lot of specific functionality build-in the Philips Hue app, it’s currently not yet clear if you can use these accesoires and settings with your bulb when you connect it over Thread. While a brand like Nanoleaf does offer such dual functionality in their own app together with Matter over Thread, several other brand-specific apps don’t show their own products if they are not connected to their own hub, but via Matter over Thread to another platform. Product reviews will need to show what the possibilities are when these bulbs are in Matter over Thread mode.
Availability and Price
Philips Hue offers several options if you like a light bulb with Matter over Thread. All of the light bulbs from the Essentials line-up are compatible, as well as their new premium regular E27 light bulbs. These should be available on September 4th, after which you can find all available options below.
